Entombed in a Glass Bottle
by TurtleHeart
Summary: Jack, Angelica, and Gibbs race to retrieve the Sword of Cortes, revive the Black Pearl, destroy Jack's fatal connection to the doll, and avoid the Spanish who will stop at nothing to kill the years from those who drank from the Fountain of Youth all while realizing their love for each other.
1. Guilty Conscience

**no, i do not own PotC 1-4 other than what there is in this world to purchase, and i have more than any sane person should have.**

**A Note from TurtleHeart:**

**i know i should not have done it because i have several stories in progress online, but i couldn't resist mate. i attended the midnight premier of PotC 4 (in full pirate regalia if i may add) and my head immediately began to tell stories. the curse of that is if i don't write it down it will continue swimming my head and nagging me until i can no longer handle myself. this is a new era of PotC so i thought i would give the new era a try. SPOILER ALERT! aye, this story takes place after PotC: OST. you may wish to see the movie first. ye be warned mate!  
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><p><strong>Entombed in a Glass Bottle<strong>

**XXX Guilty Conscience XXX  
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As beautiful as ever, her wooden hull gleamed in the sunlight of the Caribbean Sea. The warm air cast down an ethereal glow upon her golden wood. The masts were as tall and proud as ever. Each iron nail and rod and beam shinned in the light, glowing and smiling back up at him. Below decks, the hold was as clean as could be with a crew like his. Everything was sorted to each man's place and that was as clean as it ever got. No one let it get too out of hand after the last time when he ordered them to take miniature brushes and scrub down every nook and cranny.

All the crew was bustling about with their daily life and singing chantey's to pass the time. Not one soul part of his crew had but a speck of worry on his person the size of a dust particle. There was no worry to be had. To sail under his command required no worry. He was the most trusted captain among all the seas in this world. His methods of course took time to become accustomed to and that accustoming came with trust. Once the odd methods were trusted, worry passed by. He was not only a captain of a ship, but a friend every man could trust. Those who had been with him since the beginning could call him friend, and it was rare to receive that smile in return. Only certain few were given that proud gold tooth smile and nod.

When he opened the French doors to his cabin, the room almost seemed to bustle with life at the welcoming of the return of her captain. Everything was redone to his standards, which were not demanding at all. There was a large Persian rug beneath his oak table and the colors were rich and warm with reds, golds, burgundies, oranges, and hints of brown. His chairs lining the table were oak as well with an oval back and cushions on all. The main chair was at the head of the table and cushioned on the seat, arms, and back; it was in a rectangular back style that reminded him of a throne. Separating the room into two halves was another warm colored Persian rug. A large globe of the Earth was beside that with several instruments of use to navigate the waters and a table with charts. One entire wall was lined with shelves and dedicated to maps and charts of the lands and seas of the world. Another wall was lined with shelves of books, knickknacks, and other random objects he happened to acquire. The windows at the back of the room were always kept open to allow the sea breeze to blow in and clear his head.

The sofa beneath the windows safely held two of his guitars, a black and a green one. He delighted in no more than wearing just his breeches and sitting on the sofa in the sunlight. His eyes were shut and his fingers produced music. A smile of comfort never left his face. When his doors were shut and the red curtains were pulled over, every soul on the crew knew it was his time to be on his own and to not disturb unless it was dire necessary. His ship was his freedom and his home all together. Life aboard the _Black Pearl_ was everything to him and his life aboard his ship was perfect.

Yet, when he opened his eyes to look upon his beautiful ship, he saw nothing more than the _Black Pearl_ fighting a storm in a bottle and the size of his forearm. Her black sails were tattered and torn. Her decks were splintered. Below her, the seas raged in an eternal, unforgiving battle which she was forced to ride out until he got her out.

Jack Sparrow raised the bottle to eye level to look upon her again. He frowned. As sorry as he was to admit it, he was beginning to feel bad for the monkey. He hated the monkey more than he hated the deficit of rum, but the poor bugger was trapped in there all by his lonesome and forced to look out into the world that should be. Not even the rising sun in the Caribbean allowed his ship to look a little less helpless than she was.

When Barbossa told him he lost the _Pearl_, he felt his world was shattered in that palace right there. The anger swelled up in him like the hurricane he was born in or the maelstrom years ago, however, the anger remained and the hurricane and maelstrom did not. Every time his brown orbs fell upon his beloved ship, his beating heart increased and his lips curled and a stinging pain burned in his eyes. Seeing his ship trapped in a bottle by Barbossa's doing was worse than watching that man sail away on his ship thrice. Rather than watching his ship sail from him by another man and wonder where she was, he was forced to hold—cradle his ship in his arms. So close and so far from the freedom he was.

After leaving Whitecap Bay, he and Gibbs were in no condition to travel far and, fortunately and unfortunately, they rowed through the treacherous route through Shipwreck Island and Shipwreck Cove to dock his rowboat in Shipwreck City. They arrived with nothing more than a sack of ships and the clothes on their backs. Since that day over a week ago, one Jack Sparrow spent every waking hour in the attempt to find something in the archival records to release his ship from the bottle.

That cockamamie story he told Gibbs about playing the trumpet and waving his fingers at the same time was merely what came from his head at the time as the reason to release the _Pearl_ from her glass prison. The truth of the matter was he simply didn't know how to get it out.

Fortunately, everything that every pirate knew about the seas and their powers was written down and archived in the same room that held the Pirate's Code no doubt. First and foremost, he found himself spending over two days reading the Code for any information at hand, which he found none. Afterward, every paper stored in every shelf and behind every book and in every book and portfolio was read by his own two eyes. Some papers were of use yes, and he placed those in a pile on the table, but most were placed back where they belonged and so very useless to him.

He turned his head and looked at the three pieces of paper that were of somewhat use to him and every one of them told him of a different way: open the bottle during a storm that was near identical to the storm blowing inside the bottle, pull the ship out piece by piece, assemble it, and set it into the water, and last of all he thought was hardly amusing at all and that required anyone wishing to sail a ship in a bottle to shrink himself and enjoy the waters inside the bottle.

Groaning, Jack slammed his head on the table with a loud thump.

"Ow," he muttered after his forehead squarely came in contact with the wood.

The torrents and waves built inside the bottle and he rested his jaw on the table so his eyes were in exact line with his ship. He stared and wished and waiting and prayed to every god and goddess and deity he could think of. Apparently faith and religion was getting somewhere in recent days and so it may have been a good idea to follow. Sadness passed across his eyes and his face wholly slumped. Both hands gently grasped the bottle, one hand with four fingers resting on the neck and the other hand with just his forefinger circling the base of the bottle.

Through the bottle he saw a distorted image of bright red appear in the darkness that was the doorway. The red approached with the sound of footsteps. The bright red image became the face of his father looking through the bottle at Jack himself. He watched his father's eyes shift from one side of the bottle to the other then look into Jack's.

"One positive outlook to this interesting display concludes that you know where your ship is," Teague noted.

Jack sighed heavily and smacked his forehead on the table again. He groaned and whined. His head pounded up and down a few times and then shook back and forth then beat up and down some more.

Two hands lifted his head from the table and then moved to his shoulders to set him squarely on the back of the chair. The hands roughly massaged his shoulders.

"Jackie, rest. You have been in this room the past nine days and more hours in those nine days than in your entire life. You're going mad," said Teague.

Jack pointed at the bottle and looked at his father with a raised eyebrow. "Really? Tell me you wouldn't be going mad if your ship was in a bottle."

"Yes, well, my ship is not in a bottle," said Teague. "And Jack," he leaned down close to Jack's ear. "I never let another man steal my ship."

Suddenly a thousand times more angered, Jack slammed his fists on the table. He yelped when the bottle rolled barely a hair from where it was and cradled the glass close to his person. "You really think I let him do it?" He presented his father with the bottle and spoke sarcastically. "Here, Hector, take me ship. She's already in a bottle for safe keeping. Treat her like she's a dinghy. Pay no attention to her care and please, do sink her and jump ship yourself."

Less than amused, Teague looked at Jack and blinked one. His head was tilted to the side and his lips were pursed. He was merely looking at his son. He once believed Jack could not go any more mad than he already was. After the past nine days, he realized it was possible for Jack to further drive himself insane. With Jack Sparrow, anything was possible of course. He was Jack Sparrow's own father and he understood his son no better than a typical sailor upon the waters.

Yet, as he was watching Jack look at his ship, he felt he was beginning to know his son better. Jack's eyes were low in grief and his forehead was wrinkled. Wholly, his face seemed to sink and his shoulders were drooped. He felt Jack shrunk an inch or two in height altogether. The life Jack usually brought to a room was not there. The air was cold around Jack, cold, dead, miserable, and eerie. Something more than just his ship being trapped in a stormy bottle was eating away at Jack's very soul.

Not even Gibbs knew what occurred after the compass and the silver chalices were switched. Jack had not spoken a word of any incident that occurred after that moment. He was unusually quieter than he had been in five years. Nowadays, Jack walked around sulking and quiet. He avoided all human contact and when forced to be near human contact, he did not make eye contact. Something was truly eating away at his soul and it was guilt.

Edward Teague knew for a fact nothing ate away more of Jack than guilt. Jack Sparrow's ship was in a bottle, yet it was guilt consuming him whole.

Just when he was going to open his mouth to offer words of comfort, Joshamee Gibbs walked in the room waving a finger.

"Now, Jack I've been thinking," Gibbs began.

"Well that's miracle in itself," muttered Jack.

"This bottle issue at hand involves the _Pearl_," continued Gibbs.

"No, really?" Jack asked over exaggerated.

"How was it you got the _Pearl_ back last time?" asked Gibbs.

"Squared a deal with Davy Jones. Thirteen years as captain for one hundred years aboard his ship," replied Jack. "Thank you no, I will not be squaring any more deals with the devil."

"Fortunately, we just," began Gibbs. He waved his hands in front of him searching for the appropriate word it seemed. "_Happen_ to know the person who replaced the former captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ who just happened to raise the _Black Pearl_ from the depths of the ocean. So I was figuring, since the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ has the ability to raise a ship from the depths of the dark abyss of the ocean and put her back together board for board and coax a little speed into her, he can perhaps pull a ship out of a bottle and not give ye such harsh payment in return seeing as we just _happen_ to know him."

Jack Sparrow sat completely rigid with huge eyes. To Teague and Gibbs, he appeared to be a figure made of wax. No pulse was beating in his neck. Neither his chest nor stomach were expanding with breath and caving in with each exhale. He sat completely still, yet his eyes were as wide as an owl's.

His lips parted with a smack. "Mr. Gibbs, I declare you a genius among the men that walk this Earth and I shall henceforth call you LeoVinci after the great Da Vinci himself."

"Well, thank you Jack," said Gibbs, not sure if that was a compliment or not.

"You're a bloody genius mate," Jack said as a huge smile widened across his face.

Bottle and all, Jack stood. He grabbed Gibbs by the cheeks and kissed the flesh with a light peck like was common in Italy when good news was brought forth. The bottle was once again brought into his arms and he skipped out the room mumbling and talking to himself.

"Well, good to know there's still some Jack Sparrow in that empty shell," noted Gibbs, heavily wiping his face in disgust.

Teague shook his head with a sigh. His fingers wrapped around his biceps as he walked out into the courtroom. Although the sighting of slight Jack Sparrow gave him relief, he knew Jack Sparrow himself was nowhere on the distant horizon. "The question remains how much of Jack Sparrow is in that shell?" he asked the figure behind him.

Gibbs shrugged his shoulder. "There are no straight answers to Jack Sparrow Cap'n."

The pirate turned his head and exchanged glances with Gibbs. Both nodded, and Teague silently admitted Gibbs was one of few pirates who had more than a single brain cell in him.

Knowing Jack and his usual habits of nature, Gibbs decided it may have been a wise decision to inquire upon Jack Sparrow's latest plan if he was considering this a plan at all. When that mischievous, devilish, gold toothed grin appeared on the lips of one Jack Sparrow, it spelled out trouble for Jack Sparrow worse than it did the bodies and souls around him. Too many a times had that smile appeared on Jack's face and it always ended in a certain ill fate for all those involved, meaning Jack Sparrow himself.

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><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**aye, this was a short snippet to begin. more will follow within the week. characters from the original trilogy will make appearances now and then, however, this is going to be mostly about Jack and Angelica, who will arrive soon enough. it will become a romance within a race against time. so, let me know what you think of it so far!**

**Happy Readings!  
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	2. A Dilemming Dilemma

**XXX A Dilemming Dilemma XXX**

Instinct served him well indeed. When Gibbs stepped out of the massive doors leading into the city itself, he saw no other than Jack Sparrow heaving multiple sharp, pointy, and gunpowder filled objects into the little longboat. He was humming a merry tune while seeming to dance upon his feet as he moved. Heaving a miniature cannon into the boat, he did a small waltz with the weapon before settling it on the bottom of the wood. Bags of gunpowder were heaved on by one while waltzing back and forth. Each time he dramatically moved his humming went higher in pitch and he invented the notes that went in between. He paused his humming once to pull a sword from its sheath and watch it reflect the sunshine back at him. The sun gleamed off of his gold teeth and a dark devilish glow came into his eyes.

"Ah, Mr. Gibbs nice of you to join me," he noted, finally seeing the wide eyed, worried pirate standing there.

"Jack, you're going to sink that little boat," said Gibbs.

Jack looked below at the waterline. He measured a full hand and then a half a hand from the water's edge to the top of the wood. Passing it off, he waved his hand down. "Nonsense. And you're a coming with me so let's go."

Hoping Jack wasn't meaning him, Gibbs turned his head to the right and left and then pointed a finger at himself.

Jack smiled and nodded his head.

Gibbs sighed heavily as he stepped forward. Jack was kind enough to save him a small little space between the loaded weapons. Gibbs tucked himself between two bags of gunpowder. As he reached for the oars his eyes widened noticing how low to the water they were sitting.

"Well, go on then. Row," said Jack, waving his hands forward at him.

"All right Jack, now what's put you in such a fine mood?" wondered Gibbs.

Jack merely smiled as he settled himself at the bow of the boat. He presented the raging glass bottle and pointed. "Because I have the feeling he'll know how to get it out."

"And if he doesn't?" Gibbs suggested as he gingerly began rowing forward.

"Being Master of the Sea has to count for something," replied Jack.

Carefully, very gingerly, Gibbs rowed through the maze of the rock leading from the cove to the open ocean. The half hand distance from the top of the boat to the waterline was not comforting, and with all the weapons and gunpowder at the bottom, it was required to take care. Neither of them wanted that powder getting wet. Jack of course didn't want it wet because it wouldn't work and Gibbs did not have any desire to face Jack's fury if it was wet. Gibbs was more concerned about the open ocean with those sharp objects in there. One wrong wave or good blow and that little boat would be sent into the ocean. Depending on the tipping, one or more of those sharp, pointy objects could cause fatal damage to the human body.

What was worst of all was Jack's behaving. Not only was he smiling with that devilish grin on those lips, but he was talking to himself as well like he was after they rescued him from the Locker. He was playing the part of two people and having a full conversation with himself.

Gibbs looked at Jack then let his mind wander as he rowed. He would have thought that unnatural behavior with Jack to have ended years ago, yet Jack was behaving no different than when they first rescued him. Perhaps he was a little more sane than before. While they were tracking down the location to the Fountain of Youth, he did happen to catch Jack off to the side occasionally and he was muttering to himself and acting as though there was another human beside him. And with Gibbs hardly there beside Jack, he wondered how many solo conversations Jack has carried with himself since the Locker

After all this time, Davy Jones' Locker had taken hold of Jack Sparrow's soul; he never did leave it. There was no longer any going back to get what Jack lost either now that the map was destroyed and good riddance to that. He knew that map was too dangerous to have out in the world. Having that map end up in the wrong hands was not a comforting thought to think about and that thought would have been reality had he not thought to destroy it when he did. Besides, if they needed to get anywhere, Jack had a certain compass on his person at all times.

"Right, me hearty, here is good," Jack's voice announced.

"We're in the middle of the Caribbean Sea Jack," noted Gibbs.

"Yes, because the captain cannot set foot on land for another five years," replied Jack. He clapped his hands together. "Now, Mr. Gibbs, how is it you would like to be dying?"

"Excuse me?" wondered Gibbs.

"Why else would I have brought half the weaponry from Shipwreck City? One of us, meaning you, has to be dying. How else do you think he'll come up?" said Jack.

"Why is it me who had to be dying? You need him," noted Gibbs.

"Yes, _I_ need him. Seeing as you do not need his services as much as I do, you will be the one to sacrifice yourself to bring him up here for _my _need. If I am the one who is dying, his services and time up here will be a waste because with me dying and upon his ship then who is to have need for the _Black Pearl_ since that is why his services are needed and I am captain of the _Black Pearl_ and therefore _I _am the one who needs his services not you so you are the one who needs to be dying. Savvy?" explained Jack. He picked up one of the small cannons. "Too much?"

Meanwhile, Gibbs was still trying to figure out why he had to be the one who was dying. "Jack, why do _I_ have to be the one who is dying?"

"What about this?" Jack asked as he held up a large cutlass. "Nah, too messy."

"Jack, you owe me," said Gibbs, his voice filling with haste and a bit of fear.

"Nonsense. You owe me mate. Had you not fallen asleep on my ship in Tortuga we wouldn't need to sacrifice you to find a way to get my ship back," corrected Jack. Both a sword and pistol were presented forward. "Either?"

"Neither!" Gibbs cried. He motioned to himself by placing his hand over his chest. "Jack, I've saved your life more than once. You owe me one. Who is it who got the _Pearl_ and the rest of our bottled fleet?"

"Yes, but who was it that gave you the compass? Not to mention it, and I am, who was it that saved your neck from a hanging back there in London Town?"

"Unfair owing there Jack. My life for saving my life. It makes no sense even for you."

"It does to make sense. Besides, you won't be all dead mate. You'll be serving part of the crew."

"Jack, one of them is bad enough to deal with. Now son _and_ father? I'd rather be dead than have to put up with the two of them."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to tell you. Now you're getting somewhere. So, Mr. Gibbs, how is it you want to come by this death. I promise I won't make it hurt long."

"Jack, kill your own self."

"I am more needed than you are."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Because it's my ship making me captain and you are not chartman either."

"Ah, but I am chartman because the charts are all up here in this here mind of mine."

"They are all up here too. I've had that map in my possession for five years Mr. Gibbs and I know exactly where everything in this world is. I even know how to get to the Locker. I wrote it down meself."

"Why would you write down the location to the Locker?"

"Just in case something between us goes wrong and all of you need to come a rescuing me again."

"I think this time we'll just leave you there."

Jack opened his mouth to retort and he would have, but something odd and quite frightening happened. Their little boat that was in the water just a second ago was suddenly pushed upward. The upward push caused the boat to turn on its right side and therefore topple the various weapons and necessities to function those weapons. Jack and Gibbs happened to land on them as they too fell. Most of the contents fell and scattered on the wooden deck of a ship

Noticing he was laying on a sack of gunpowder on a ship, but not having the care for that at the moment Jack continued. "And here I was always thinking you came so save me just because you missed me."

"No I didn't," replied Gibbs as he sat up also aware of their odd situation but still wanting to defend himself from Jack's unusual need to kill him.

"Why did you come to get me then? Hm?"

"Because I like the _Pearl_."

"Oh, so that's it. You want me to kill me so you can have my ship and with me out of the way it'll be simple as pie to get my ship because I'll be out of the way. Mr. Gibbs, the sword or the bullet."

"No rope?" came an amused voice not belonging to Jack or Gibbs.

"I've got that too," Jack said to the figure in front of him.

Yet, when he laid his eyes on the figure, he found the argument was over.

A young man stood, hunched forward with his hands gripping the side of the longboat. His white tunic sleeves were rolled to his elbows exposing his darkly tanned forearms. A blue sash was wrapped around his hips and the tails tucked in tightly and a belt was fasted around the cloth also with the end tucked in. The white tunic was not so white actually, as it was stained with dirt and grime of the sea. A faded blue bandana was wrapped around his head, keeping his always perfect dark curls out of the way. The silver hoop in his left ear gleamed in the sunlight. His once rich, warm brown eyes were darker and had the distinct appearance that they had seen too much. Yet, despite the darkness in his eyes, his white smile and amused laughter were a welcoming sign that he was somehow happy despite his situation. A necklace that was always around his neck hung at his chest and tucked under the cut in his tunic. And there, on just to the left of the center of his chest and cut in half by the black cord to the necklace was a gruesome scar, a constant reminder of what that scar removed.

"William Turner," Gibbs whispered softly like a silent prayer.

"Captain, actually," said Will as he raised his eyes upward and looked over his ship.

Jack slumped low again. He promised himself he wouldn't let it get to him. He always imagined seeing Will again to be a wonderful and not awkward experience. But, before Captain William Turner, he felt small and useless and awkward. Not only was it awkward that it was he who sealed this young man's fate, but because when standing before the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ certain sense of mortality was placed upon a man's shoulders for the Captain himself was something ethereal and angelic.

A small, private smile widened across Jack's face as the past five years' worth of stories retold through his mind. He always made a point of keeping an ear out for any word of the _Flying Dutchman_. Wherever he went all he heard were good things coming from the ship. Her captain was an angel himself and the kindest man a soul had known. He went out of his way to see to it each rescued sailor had passage to his destined location. He was known to medically assist a soul in need. When medicine was not enough and the desire to join not present, a swift blade through the heart ended all pain and the body was gently dropped into the sea. Fear was not present in the eyes of those who spoke of the _Flying Dutchman_. Comfort and a sense of overwhelming peace were in the eyes of their soul. More than once had he passed by the docks and caught a man or family praying to be in the hands of the Captain should the Lord deem it the judgment day or the seas unkind.

With all this good, the stories of the _Flying Dutchman_ and her captain were fading. There was no need to speak what was known. Evil is always remembered and passed down. Humans remember only the evil that has passed. The good is forgotten because the good is what humans thrive upon. When that human thriving is ending, that good is called upon.

Every story, every mentioning, every prayer that went out involving the words _Flying Dutchman_, Jack always felt the eternal guilt build in his heart, yet peace and comfort. The more stories the more the guilt built and the peace attempt to cure. Seeing Will standing right there in front of him and glancing around the _Flying Dutchman_, Jack always hoped he would finally find the peace to destroy the guilt he was feeling. It was apparent the guilt was to remain inside him for the rest of his days and he knew it was what he deserved for dragging his friend back out to help him.

A hand in front of his face startled him from his thoughts. He gasped and flinched.

"Easy Jack," Will said calmly.

Jack looked at him sadly. "I was always hoping our next meeting you wouldn't have changed from that whelp who sought nothing more than to save his bonny lass and free his father who was the most pathetic thing to walk this earth."

"And what am I now?" wondered Will.

"The stories of you are right," Jack explained softly. "One cannot help but feel mortal before the Captain and look upon him as though looking upon a piece of Heaven."

"Which I have seen and it is everything everyone ever hopes it is," said Will. "Now get up and stop looking at me like that. You're Captain Jack Sparrow. Enough said there."

Finally. A gold tooth grin widened across Jack's face as he took Will's hand. He shook his hand up and down properly greeting Will. Shaking Will's hand was more awkward than looking at him and to cure that awkwardness Jack sighed as he wrapped an arm around Will's shoulders.

"Much better," agreed Will, as he wrapped both arms around Jack.

They sighed in the company of the other's arms. Both realized there was much more than friendship that had bonded between them. Brotherhood sparked from a meeting in the smithy and the brotherhood merely grew in the absence of each other.

Close to Will's body, Jack felt his guilt growing into a heavy burden. He felt nothing. Will himself felt warm to the touch, but there was no life to him. It was all his doing as well. Had he not ran into Will in that shop none of it would have happened and he wouldn't have felt guilty and he probably wouldn't be alive without Will's help.

Will on the other hand pushed Jack away from his person. His head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed in thought as he looked at Jack.

"You feel different from everyone else," he noted.

"Yes well you've changed," said Jack. He glanced around then back at Will and leaned closer. "Different how?"

"You don't feel like everyone else does to me," said Will shaking his head. A small smirk widened across his face and a sly look came into his eyes. "I'll talk to you later."

"Good because I need your help," said Jack.

Hurried footsteps approached in the form of Bill Turner. "Oh no. No. No. No. N.O." He shook his head at Jack. "Every time you ask me or my son for assistance you end up dragging us clear across the seas and we are the ones who pay for your mistakes."

"There's not much I can do to you two. You are on the _Flying Dutchman_ already," noted Jack.

Bill's sapphire eyes narrowed and his jaw set tight. He grumbled as he looked away. "And I hate it more when are right."

"The problem doesn't take you halfway across the seas; the problem doesn't even require you to move from where your feet stand," said Jack. He raised both forefingers, turned his back, and knelt. Gratefully the bottle landed beside him on the bag of gunpowder. Both himself and the bottle stood straight. "Help," he asked presenting the glass bottle that entombed the _Black Pearl_.

"New hobby?" wondered Will, leaning forward.

"Looks just like the _Pearl_," noted Bill. He tapped the glass. "How'd you get the storm in there?"

"It _is_ the _Black Pearl_," Jack told them.

Bill and Will looked at each other then back at Jack dumbfounded or believing he went more crazy than when they last knew him.

Jack sighed. "If you look hard enough, but not too hard, you'll see _that_ monkey hanging about."

Humoring him, Will moistened his lips. He gently took the neck of the bottle into his right hand and supported the base with his left. After one last amused look at Jack, he studied the ship that looked exactly like the _Black Pearl_. Sudden movement from inside drew his attention. Did he just? Was that?

He suddenly burst into laughter and clamped his left hand over his mouth. The bottle was shoved against his father's chest and he went walking quickly into his cabin and shut the doors.

Bill raised an eyebrow at his son's sudden antics and took a peek himself. He moved his head back after a moment and shuddered. "That monkey is even more terrifying trapped in a bottle."

"Now put yerself in my place," said Jack, gingerly cradling his bottle against him more.

"Jack," began Bill. He scratched his head then pointed at him. "I know you are disgusted with Barbossa always stealing your ship, but to go as far as putting it in a bottle? Jack, you didn't think about that at all did ye?"

Will emerged from his cabin. His face was clearly bright red and his eyes were wet. The smile on his face was an indication that he needed time away to laugh at the absurdity of it all. The _Black Pearl_ in a bottle with "Jack" inside. "Was it after you put your ship in the bottle that you realized the monkey followed or did you intend to trap him in there as well?" he laughed.

"I think it's rather genius William," said Bill. "No more worrying about who has his ship or where it is because it's always right there in that bottle."

"Was the rum good?" wondered Will.

"He probably doesn't remember," Bill laughed.

"If you want the answer to that question you should have asked Blackbeard," Jack said, his voice biting and snapping.

Will looked at him to say another smart comment, but he found his laughter died with all happy thoughts he was feeling at the moment. Jack's face was solemn and angered and upset and sad. Most of all, Jack felt lost to him. Lost to the world. Lost to himself. Lost to the current situation. Lost without his ship. Lost without any idea of what to do. The _Black Pearl_ was never meant to be in a bottle; Jack's expression was clear to that.

He smacked his father's arm and gave him a look.

Bill saw his son's expression then noticed Jack's. He had a quick change of mood and cleared his through. "What services can the _Dutchman_ provide you?"

"Actually we provide the services," Will said.

"Do you know how to my get my ship out of the bottle?" asked Jack. "I only come to you because Jones raised her from the depths of the ocean last time."

"Give her to me," said Will holding out his hand.

Trusting Will as the only other man with his ship, Jack gave up the bottle instantly.

Thinking logically, Will stepped to the rail of his ship. He held the bottle neck out toward the sea. Bracing himself, he firmly planted his bare feet on the wood in a wider stance and leaned his body back. Quickly and carefully, the cork was pulled and he shut his eyes and turned his head away.

Nothing.

"Huh," he noted to himself looking at the opened bottle.

Curiosity tempting himself, he shut one eye and gazed down the neck of the bottle with the other. He saw the ship fighting the sea and heard the sounds of a ghastly hurricane. Thinking logically again, he shoved his forefinger in his mouth to slick it with saliva then stuck it into the neck of the bottle.

"Well, if it means anything to you Jack, the storm inside is real," he announced.

"Well, that's comforting," Jack told him. He whined again and folded his arms across his chest.

"I'm thinking," said Will.

Overall becoming frustrated, Will shook the bottle, neck down, over the sea. How hard was it to get a ship out of a bottle? It was such a simple concept. Of course. When shaking and pulling didn't have any effect on getting the ship out, the only logical piece of mind was to destroy what held the ship in the first place. Will lined the bottle up to the railing of his ship and raised his arm over his head.

Jack yelped and sprinted to his ship. He grabbed Will's arm with both of his hands and pried the bottle from the grip. His huge eyes pleaded with him and his head shook back and forth. He grabbed the cork from Will and shoved it back into the bottle. A glare was set upon his face and pursed lips.

"You wanted me to get it out of the bottle did you not?" wondered Will.

"Yes," Jack said. "But not destr—"

Jack's breath was suddenly taken from him. His left hand released from around the bottle and wrapped around his throat. Why couldn't he breathe? There was nothing on his throat yet his neck was being squeezed, constricting his air passages. He blinked heavily and struggled to breath. A short gasp was managed. His knees gave and he collapsed to the wooden deck. The bottle slipped from his hand and he shoved his palms forward to support his body. He was both gasping and choking

"Jack!" Will cried, dropping to his knees.

Weakly, Jack looked up at him with a ghost white face.

"It's all right," Will told him as he sat against the wall of his ship. He pulled Jack's back against his torso. "It's going to be all right."

Truthfully, Will knew it wasn't going to be all right. He hadn't the faintest idea what was happening to Jack. Being who he was he thought he saw it all. What was happening to Jack was new. Jack grabbed his hand and squeezed. He could feel Jack's face and body tensing while struggling to breathe against him. Hushing him, he gently wrapped an arm around Jack's torso, not expecting to feel liquid. The liquid was blood and that blood was pouring out of his chest.

"Father, get bandages now!" he screamed, pressing his palm against Jack's chest.

"Captain!" Gibbs cried, also lowering to a knee.

"You know more about what has happened to Jack than I do. What the hell is going on?" Will demanded.

Gibbs watched as Jack's face twisted into pain and turn into Will. He heard the young man gasp and cry out. He watched Jack's legs tense and bend and twist. He saw just how tightly he was squeezing Will's hand. Fear coming in his own eyes and his heart throbbing into his throat, he shook his head. "I—I don't know."

Bill suddenly reappeared before Jack and Will, pushing Gibbs aside. He pulled his son's hand away for a moment only to press a handful of clean, thick wad of bandages on the wound then pressed his and Will's palms on top the wound.

The forceful pressure caused Jack to cry out in pain. He squeezed Will's hand tighter. His small cry took away more of the lack of air. Pale wasn't a word well enough to describe the color of his face. Dead described the color; it looked like the cold, pale blue, ghastly white color of a dead body right before decomposition. His eyes were falling heavier and heavier. His world before him was great blur of color and sounds. No shapes. No clear words. No feeling other than his chest being ripped apart and cut down to the bone. Something felt like it was cutting his chest down to his ribs. His lungs were craving sweet oxygen and his mind was failing because of the lack there of. He didn't understand. One moment he was defending his ship and the next he felt all air taken away from him and then his chest was being—

AIR!

All thoughts were tossed aside as the hold around his throat suddenly ended. Nothing was constricting air passages. He gasped heavily and drew in as deep a breath as he could, too deep truthfully. Choking at the sweet amount of air, he doubled over and would have fallen had Will's arm not been there to catch him. Not even the sweet bouquet of Tortuga was as beautiful as cool air. He could taste the salt in the air and feel the cold going into his lungs. Resting against Will's torso and feeling Will rubbing his arm, he breathed heavily for several minutes.

Clear sight returned to his eyes as he passed the faces of several concerned and confused crewmen. Clear sound rang in his ears including calling gulls, the distant surf, whispered and sighs, and creaking mechanisms of a ship. Clearly, he felt his chest was sore, like it was healing from being cut into. Altogether, the soreness suddenly stopped. The feeling was somewhat vaguely familiar to him.

His head turned from the side and he lowered his jaw to his chest. A quivering, weak hand pushed aside the two hands belonging to Bill and Will Turner. His eyes widened at the sight of what was now scarred upon his chest.

There, in the center of his chest over his erratically beating heart, the size of his palm from knuckle to wrist, and bright red, laid a mark. Two chalices, a sparrow, the letter "A" and a drop were cut into his chest. One chalice was right side up as though sitting on a flat surface. A drop appearing to drip into the cup was above the center of the mouth. The capital letter "A" was in the center of the cup and the letter was done in a Gothic stylized calligraphy that he knew from someone once long ago. Beside the upright chalice was another chalice; however this one was tilted to the right and was positioned to the right side of the other chalice. The handle of the second chalice was in line with the round base of the first. A flying sparrow, the precise image of the sparrow that was on his right wrist was above the second chalice, but, nearly all the right wing was consumed by the mouth of the chalice. The mark had the appearance of being cut into him by a precise, deadly sharp blade. His eyes moved from the scar in the center of the chest to the mark Blackbeard gave him with a certain doll.

"We have a dilemming dilemma," he said hoarsely.

"What was that?" Will asked.

"Angelica," replied Jack. "That would be Angelica."

"Blackbeard's daughter?" wondered Gibbs.

Jack nodded his head. "I've felt that before mates. This here, this Blackbeard himself gave me at our first meeting. He carved his knife into the chest of the doll—"

"What doll?" asked Will.

"A peculiar, unusual, nasty voodoo doll of unfortunate me," replied Jack. "Blackbeard himself fashioned a voodoo doll of myself."

"Those things do not work unless there was something of your person sewn into it," noted Bill. "And knowing you, I doubt you let Blackbeard that close to you."

"Doesn't help that I was poisoned by a zombie's dart and dragged onto the ship and out of reality for days now does it?" wondered Jack.

"Who is this Angelica?" wondered Will.

"She's Blackbeard's daughter. I have not the logical explanation how she came upon the miniature cloth me. Well, that zombie person thing did throw me over the cliff. I must have floated to Rumrunner's Island where I left her," explained Jack.

"Oh, no wonder she's sore at you. You left her," noted Bill.

"Again," Jack muttered.

"Why would she do this to you Jack?" wondered Will.

"Jack, it might not be her," said Gibbs, thinking rationally.

"No, it's her," Jack told him. He pointed to the letter on his chest. "This letter here. This letter beginning the alphabet that reads 'A', this is the fashion she fashions her 'A's when signing her name. Only one person in the world curls the top and the bottom like that."

"Seems to me she's trying to tell you something," noted Bill.

"She is," replied Jack. "Notice the tear is going into her chalice. The other chalice is consuming the sparrow. She is the chalice receiving the tear and I am the unfortunate cup. By drinking the chalice with the tear, the soul receives all the years from the soul who drinks from the cup without the tear. Better put, she's drinking the rest of my years of life away."

"Jack, none of this is logical. Aye, you'll feel pain, but not mortal pain," said Will.

"No, it makes logical logic," said Jack. "One supernatural against another supernatural. The doll has its uses on me mortal and Aqua de Vida."

Gibbs looked at Jack oddly. His head tilted to the side and his eyes searched the horizon as thoughts accumulated in his head. _The doll has its uses on me mortal and Aqua de Vida_. No! Could it be? He wouldn't have gone through all that effort. He was just as hell bent as the rest of them. Why didn't he just jump ship then?

"Jack, Angelica wasn't the only one to drink from the Fountain of Youth wasn't she?" he asked.

Now standing on his own two feet and keeping the scar on his chest covered with his palms pulling the cloth of his tunic over the mark, Jack sighed heavily. He shut his eyes and softly groaned. His head shook gently and eventually fell to his chest. "No, Mr. Gibbs, she's not the only one."

"You've drank from the waters of the Fountain of Youth?" Gibbs asked softly as if not to let the spirits of the Earth know his words spoken.

"Aye," replied Jack no louder than a whisper.

Gibbs' eyes widened further. He spoke hurriedly and frustrated. "Mother's love, Jack, why didn't you just tell me you found them when we were in the prison carriage? You could have avoided all this mess. Why did you lie to me? 'I'll taste those waters. Mark my words'. Those were the exact words you spoke to me. You're immortal Jack and all this time you've been acting all mortal. You could have been the one to go down in the history books as the man who killed Edward Teach, the great Blackbeard, the pirate all pirates fear. You went on that crazy voyage and put up with all that lot for nothing. Why didn't you just tell anyone you were immortal—"

"I never meant it to happen!" Jack cried out furiously, shaking his hands in front of him. "Yes, I found it. Obviously. With those circly charts and my compass, I found it in two years. I could have drunk from it sooner of course, but I had distractions. Know this all of you; I was one of three, three, who voyaged to that island that day. Only two of us came back. _Two. _ The soul that sacrificed herself was by her own doing. She did it to save my pathetic life. I didn't know there was a catch to this. I had no recollection that one's soul's years were sacrificed for the other. I was nearly dead by the time we got to the final push to the water. Poisoned I was. She figured out the secret and willingly drank into it. Had I known that was the price, I never would have done it. And because of what happened due to my urge to live forever, I cannot live with myself."

Jack's voice raised in pitch with his last few words. Desperation and a thousand agonies of pain swelled with the glistening in his eyes and high eyebrows.

"It's not about living forever. The trick is living with yourself forever," noted Will nodded his head solemnly. "I met your father once and spoke those words to me. Look, Jack, you get this Angelica person and I'll talk to Calypso about getting your ship out of a bottle. There is quite a lot about the Fountain of Youth you two must know. Agreed?"

"Yeah," replied Jack calmly and softly. "And I'm only explaining once how fate decided me to drink those waters. Just know I never meant it to happen. It just did."

Will set his hand on Jack's shoulders. Something was eating away at Jack. By the feeling Jack was giving from his person, Will sensed it enough to know it was heartbreak and guilt. He may have not have had his heart inside him, but strong feelings were enough for him to sense and presently he felt utterly guilty. Jack was being torn apart by emotions that were consuming, no entombing him. He was digging his own grave with those emotions.

After the words from Captain Turner to call him when they got her, Jack and Gibbs, without half the weaponry in Shipwreck City, were floating back into the Caribbean Sea. Unlike before, Jack was sitting calmly at the bow of the boat facing frontwards toward the horizon this time. His head was low yet and his body was tucked in itself. Most like the first time they were used, Jack pulled the strings on the chest of his tunic and tied a firm knot. He wanted no one looking upon the hellish scar upon his chest.

Yet, while he was rowing, Gibbs caught himself continuously glancing every horizon. He felt like something was going to come from the dead and attack them. Drinking from the Fountain of Youth was not a holy action. For some reason he felt the heaven sent was going to strike them; Jack because he was immortal and Gibbs felt they would destroy him as well because he was associated with Jack and knew how to get to the waters.

A storm was coming; he could feel it in the air. It wasn't a storm from the sky either. No, he felt an unnatural storm approaching. The storm was beginning inside the man sitting in front of him and would continue with the soul of the woman they were setting out to join. Which was thunder and which was lightening and how long would this storm rage and who would be the next carrier?

_Sacrificed herself…she did it…she figured out the secret…_ Just who was this female who gave up her life for Jack and who was the other soul that went with them? Clearly, she must have been close to Jack because he swore he saw Jack Sparrow lower his head to the back of his palm a few times; the unmistakable sight of a man wiping his eyes. Joshamee Gibbs knew it was not dust or air particles causing Jack to wipe those eyes. Whoever _she_ was, she was close enough to Jack to cause him to mourn her death three years later and that frightened Gibbs most.

He loved this woman whoever she was. Love was the only thing worth fearing anymore. Nevertheless, love was the only thing keeping a man alive anymore. Now Gibbs had to note that was what he feared most: the sad commentary of love emerging from Jack Sparrow himself.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**well, first and foremost, all reviews have been greatly appreciated and wide smiles to all!  
><strong>

**there, another section added to this intriguing and now most likely confusing mess. all questions about Jack's former experience with the Fountain of Youth will be explained in the next chapter along with the arrival of Angelica. just by the way Jack was behaving and knowing about the path to the Fountain, it seemed to me Jack had already been there not to mention he does have a compass the points to what it is he wants most. i am curious though, any thoughts of who you think sacrificed herself for Jack? comments? thoughts? questions? concerns? let me know what you think!**

**Happy Readings!  
><strong>


	3. New Era, New Story

**XXX New Era, New Story XXX**

Hammocks were and art form. Not just any person possessed the talent to sit in a hammock much less move from sitting position to laying. Usually, the contraption of wood and twine flipped over and over, toppling the person to the ground and those surrounding rousing into laughter. Of course, when the choices went between learning the art of how to sit and lie in a hammock or sleep in the sand, there was no difficult decision.

Angelica lay in the hammock she happened to find while searching through the cash underneath the island. There were bits and pieces of salted food and she did find a few bottles of rum back in the corner under a loose stone. Unmistakably, someone had raided the island previous her marooning and near cleared out all provisions. One of those bottles was raised to her lips and a sip passed down her throat.

Cautiously, she moved her right leg to curl in front of her and her left leg extend out to the left. The side of the hammock cradled her lower left calf and her foot stuck out of the contraption. She was thankful for the small area of shade she happened to find. Although she was wearing no more than her tunic and breeches, she felt warm yet. However, it was a comfortable warm. The nights were dreadfully cold.

A cloud moved in front of the sun, blocking the glowing orb of heat. She opened her eyes and scanned the horizon. Nothing. As usual there was nothing but the crystal blue and green waters meeting the sky at the horizon. No ships had passed by since she was left there ten days ago.

Immortal or not, she felt like she was dying on the island alone. There was food for her yes, but the small amount would have killed anyone of normal mortality. She was not of normal mortality. She was of the immortal presently and a child with no family or anyone to turn to. As if it was not horrible enough to be trapped on a tiny island walked in just over an hour, she had nowhere to go if she ever did escape. Her father, the last piece of her family, was dead. Edward Teach, better known to her as Father or Papa, was dead, no more than a pile of bone and dust at the destroyed Fountain of Youth.

Jack Sparrow. Thinking of those two words caused her lower lip to curl in and eyes narrow in anger. Everything was always his fault. He wounded her more deeply than any mortal injury received. He taught her everything he knew and fell in love with her along the way. They were prepared to say their vows and he had to have a sudden change of heart and called it off. Teenagers they were, nearly adults. They spent most of their teenage years together and her under his command. Because of that single action when he decided to call it off, she swore to herself she would never love again.

The bitter agony of her broken heart and seeking revenge on Jack Sparrow turned her cold and devilish. She did whatever was necessary to accomplish her own ends and she would get it no matter the sacrifice. Jack Sparrow wounded her past the point of correcting the love she had. She did not know love. She was afraid of love more than she was of death. The only person who seemed to love her was her father. In the public eye, he also did what was necessary to get what he wanted. To their eyes only, he adored her and got her everything her heart desired. He did love her more than anything she once thought.

Angelica turned her eyes away from the horizon and faced them toward the trees. Both of her legs curled in the cloth wood contraption and she curled tightly against herself. Tears glistened in her eyes and she wanted that nothing on the horizon to not see them. Her father taking the chalice from her that he believed to contain the tear was merely a fraction of the pain causing her suffering. No, it was his hand reaching out to her when his years were swept away from him that caused the tears. For a moment, she thought he didn't love her, but when he reached out of the torrents, she realized he did love her.

Anger causing the tears to fall on her cheeks and her body tremble, she reached for the doll that was in her coat pocket. Seeing the rips and frayed cloth over the doll's chest was not enough. He caused her to fear love and took away the only love she had. She hated him. She hated him more than anything. Yesterday, she thought carving that into his chest would have satisfied her, but now wasn't enough.

Calling out in anger and pain, she reached her hands around the doll's neck and shook. Like a child having a tantrum after being sent to her room, she shook the doll ragged and squeezed. Frustrated and her emotions running high, she threw the doll with all of her might against the trunk of the palm tree supporting the hammock at her feet. The tantrum and throwing the doll caused her careful balance to fall from her. Both she and the hammock flipped.

She fell on her back in the sand. Ashamed she couldn't sit in a hammock and the pain and memories coming back to her, she pressed her palms against her face and wept again. There was never an end to the tears. She almost had a family. She almost had Jack Sparrow's love again. She was so very close to kissing him again. That expression on his face when she told him she was with child was priceless and she loved it. The look in his eyes changed from leaving to the look that he would stay with her and help her, but she her acting skills were useless around him. She hated him, but she loved him. She hated that she loved him more and more as each day passed.

Where did they go wrong? What did she do to push Jack away? Who was Jack? He had changed since he was a teenager. Something happened to her carefree, free Jack Sparrow. This Jack was trapped and cautious and she hated it.

Sighing heavily, she sat up and wiped her eyes. He legs curled against her chest and she rubbed her calves. That doll was sitting beside her. As the child who threw her favorite toy while throwing a tantrum, she gently took the doll into her hands and cradled the cloth against her chest, apologizing for using it as the relief to her anger. Carving into the doll and strangling him comforted her and released the anger she had toward Jack Sparrow, yet when she did hurt the doll there was always the need to apologize and love.

Calmer, she stood and wiped the sand from her legs to settle herself in the hammock again. As usual, the wood cloth netted contraption shifted uncomfortably and she grabbed the netting with her free hand. All the years she spent on the sea sailing, she never did figure out how to sit and sleep in those things. There was a reason she slept on a cot on the ship; she couldn't even sit in a hammock on dry, stable land. More times than she would have liked to admit to herself only, she slept on the wooden decks with blankets piled below her because she gave up. Her father always found it amusing that she was the nearly perfect pirate and couldn't even sit in a hammock. It was he who presented her with a soft cot and warm blankets. The sight of watching his daughter try to sit in them was amusing, but he preferred her to be comfortable.

She stroked the doll's face with her forefinger and kissed his chest. Clear and simple, she still loved him. No matter how she tried to hate him, she still loved him and would always love him.

Voices. There were voices on the horizon. She shoved the doll in her coat pocket to keep it hidden from wanting eyes. On the horizon she saw nothing. Slumping, she swore she heard voices of some sort. They did not have the sounds of the gulls and birds of the island. From the corner of her eye there was movement and she whipped her head to the left.

Of all people who had to come save her, it had to be the person to leave here there. Jack Sparrow.

Jack Sparrow was walking directly to her in great strides. Anger was set upon his face. Behind his footsteps a storm seemed to follow. His eyes were dark and cold and his jaw was set tight. Angelica knew that expression on his face was never welcoming. Angry Jack was something worth fearing and coming from her that meant a lot. She had seen angry Jack more than once and angry Jack had a reputation of shooting things and killing people and stopping at nothing to see something dead.

"GIVE ME THE DOLL!" Jack hollered as he approached.

"What doll?" Angelica snapped.

"Do not play games with me Angelica. Give me that damn doll," Jack said. His anger was in such an amount he was hardly able to speak. His body was trembling.

"And if I refuse?" wondered Angelica.

Jack pointed a finger at her. His mouth moved as his lips attempted to speak. No sound came from them. He stepped forward, pushing her aside. No disrespect to her personal belongings, he began grabbing her clothes from the tree. Each boot was shaken. Her corset was practically ripped part. His anxiety was growing and then he reached for her coat. Pockets were over turned on the outside and the he reached for the inside pocket.

Wholly, his body slumped and he released a great sigh of relief. He cradled the miniature, cursed himself doll of himself against his person. As long as that doll did not leave his person he would be all right. Obviously he wasn't going to use the doll against himself and he trusted only himself with himself.

"Are ye trying to kill him?" Gibbs snapped as he also approached.

"What are you talking about?" wondered Angelica.

Jack released a cry of anger as he set dropped the doll on the sand. He turned around. In pulling his tunic open, the ties were ripped. "This perhaps." He pointed to the red ring around his throat as though he had been strangled. "Maybe this?" Last of all, a finger motioned to his forehead that was without the red bandana at a scar above his right eye. "Does this ring any bells to you?"

Angelica did nothing more than gaze at the scar on his chest recalling that was the exact cut she performed into the doll. She had days to think of how to craft a mark on that doll to release her anger, but why was it on Jack? Voodoo dolls are only successful when used by the person who crafted them. The doll only should have an effect on the person if it is in the hand of he who crafted it.

Thinking, she knelt in the sand and reached for the doll.

Immediately, Jack shoved her aside and grabbed the doll before she could.

"Jack, I need to see the doll," said Angelica.

"Bloody hell you are not," Jack told her.

"Jack, that doll should only have influence on you in the hands of he who crafted it. Your blood was sewn into the doll; I watched my father make it," said Angelica.

"Really? I don't think Blackbeard is here to cut into it now do I? You had me and you were the one who cut into me," said Jack.

"I never meant to have that mark on you!" Angelica cried. "This doll should have had no effect on you in my hands."

"Well it did and I'm stuck with this mark for the rest of my life. Do you really think I like looking at this? Do you? Have you any reconciliation of what it feels like to be cut into without a knife or strangled when you're just sitting in a longboat or get a concussion just sitting there? Whatever Blackbeard did to that doll it can affect me in the hands of anyone."

"I didn't think it was going to scar on you Jack. I never would have done it had I known. The doll washed upon shore and I was angry with you so I thought if I tortured the doll I would feel better."

"Little did you know it is me who you are a torturing."

"Jack, I'm so sorry."

"I am not forgiving you just as I know you have not forgiven me for causing you to leave me."

"Still going on about that?"

"As I recall, you started it in London Miss Drummond or Teach or Beard. Whichever."

Angelica stepped forward with sincerity on her face. "Jack," she began and reached a hand out to Jack's chest.

"Do not touch me!" Jack demanded as he stepped back until his back hit the trunk of a palm tree.

Angelica saw Jack's limit of movement to her advantage and stepped forward, immediately pressing his arms against the trunk. Her eyes lowered in sadness as she felt Jack flinch at her touch. He had never done that before. "Jack," she continued softly and sweetly. "I never meant to hurt you, the doll yes but never you. I would never hurt you."

"You're a pirate. Why would I believe you?" asked Jack.

"I learned all that I know from you Jack," reminded Angelica coldly.

"I never taught you to backstab and betray. I taught you to sail and pirate," said Jack.

"When you left me, you taught me all the evils of piracy with just one turn of your back," Angelica said clearly.

"Ahem, may I remind you why we are here Jack," said Gibbs.

"Right," said Jack. Unexpectedly, he grabbed Angelica's arms and switched positions to have her pinned against the tree. "You are a coming with me no if's, and's, but's, or any resistance about it. We are needed elsewhere in the presence of the one person who can help us."

"And why do we need help?" wondered Angelica, pulling out of his arm and twisting it back to release his grip on her and therefore pin him against the tree again.

"Because there is something more to the Fountain of Youth we need to know," replied Jack.

"We?" wondered Angelica, her grip loosening and eyes becoming curious.

Jack grabbed her arms her arms tightly and pulled them behind her until she cried out. He sought that as the opportune moment to pull the shackles from his pocket and bind her wrists. "We," he whispered in her ear.

"I hate you," Angelica snapped.

"I know you do," Jack said. "Just so you can't bite me," he added, pulling a thick amount of cloth from his pocket and wrapping it about her head specifically between her teeth.

Angelica struggled, and he was expecting that. Giving her no option but to come, Jack lifted her over his shoulder and kept a firm grip on her knees. With all the struggling she was doing it was a miracle he got her into the boat.

"Here," said Gibbs, setting the doll carefully in Jack's hands.

"Thank you," replied Jack, taking himself and placing himself in his sashes. "Oh stop glaring Angelica."

"Where to?" wondered Gibbs.

"Just beyond the shallows deep enough for the ship. He can give us a ride back to the Cove while explaining," replied Jack, his eyes never leaving Angelica.

Gibbs sighed as he grabbed the oars and began rowing out. Not two strokes later did he feel the boat shifting. "Will you two please sit still and stop fighting like a married couple."

"Don't worry, I've got her," said Jack.

Seeing Jack had Angelica in his lap and his arms resting comfortably over her back, Gibbs sighed. Those two were rather pathetic together. If they weren't arguing with each other one of them was flirting and if that wasn't enough, they were making out with each other. They were hopelessly in love. He simply wished they would grow up and get over each other already. They loved each other and they should just as well accept it.

"Here's good," Jack said waving g his hand.

"Jack, we're barely off the shoreline," noted Gibbs.

"Good enough to me," said Jack, pressing his elbows into Angelica's stomach. "All right, Captain Turner. Yoo hoo! You can come up here now. I've got the beastie."

Unlike before, a green flash lit the horizon. Even in broad daylight Jack blinked the light away. He felt all movement die in his lap. Once desperate, angered struggling became shifting into his body and then remaining still.

"Ah, you have heard rumors of the _Flying_ _Dutchman_. Only a person who knows of the green flash before the ship comes appears out of nowhere would fear as you do and you have every reason to fear more than normal peoples. It just so happens the captain and I have been good friends and are good friends and he has a bone to pick with you about your misuse with my doll," said Jack.

Angelica turned her head to look at him with real fear in her eyes.

Jack was delighted to see that fear.

The female pirate was dropped on deck from the railing and then Jack walked on. She lay on her side gazing fearfully at the crew. She heard enough stories about the ship. New captain or not, there was always reason to fear the _Flying_ _Dutchman_. He was master of the sea and possessed connections to the sea itself. There was only one person her father ever feared and she searched the faces of the crew for him. She was sure it was the older man standing across from her. His white hair gave evidence to aging and his eyes were dark and cold, yet curious. He had the appearance of the only man her father ever feared.

Her hands free and the cloth removed, she turned and swung, missing Jack of course.

"Welcome to the _Flying_ _Dutchman_ Angelica," said Jack.

Angelica pushed herself to her feet and stood with her back firmly against the rail so none had the advantage of sneaking up behind her. "Where is the captain? This is only ship my father ever feared and the captain the only man my father both respected and feared. It only is fair I see the face of the man my father warned me of."

"Not much am I?" said Will as he walked down the stairs leading to the helm where he just was.

Utterly shocked, Angelica's mouth opened. "You?"

"Aye," replied Will. "Keep in mind, I'm not Davy Jones and sailors keep in mind the old stories of this ship. New captain, new ship."

"Father still feared this ship after he heard Jones was replaced," added Angelica.

"And you should," said Will coldly, standing face to face with her.

"Is it true?" wondered Angelica. "Is it true you have no heart?"

Will pulled the left side of his tunic from his chest. He spoke no words and watched her eyes lower and then widen. Her heart quickened in her chest and he saw the pulsing in her neck. "You know, I can feel your immortality and you should fear me. I cannot kill you no, but immortal or not, you will feel what the Locker does to souls. I'm sorely tempted to put you there for a while."

Hands belonging to Bill pulled Will away. "Don't mind my son. He gets like this," he said. "Hello Angelica."

"William?" asked Angelica, standing upright again.

"Mm hm," replied Bill.

"He's your son," noted Angelica, looking at Will. "Hm, he's handsome."

Jack smacked her arm and pointed to himself with an expression of ridiculousness.

"Just one question," began Will. "Not that I don't blame you because I have half a book of ways to kill Jack Sparrow, why do you want Jack Sparrow dead?"

Jack raised his hands dramatically in the air then let them flop. "Honestly, who here does not want to kill me?" He had a sudden change of heart and shook his head. "Don't answer that because I get the feeling I won't like the answer."

"Probably not," said Angelica.

"Let me tell you a story son," said Bill, taking Will under his arm and leading him away from the two of them. He sat his son on a barrel. "Once upon a time there were two teenagers. She was a stowaway aboard a ship. While on this ship, the captain found she was a woman. After time, boy and girl had romantic feelings for each other. Girl wanted to go home so boy let her. Yet, boy and girl always managed to meet. Boy taught girl everything he knew about piracy and everything he knew in general. Boy taught girl a little too much. Boy and girl have no difference besides being boy and girl. Romantic feelings grew while they were teenagers and beyond. One day, boy asked girl to marry him and girl said yes. On their wedding day, boy never arrived and girl stood at the altar alone. When girl went to find where boy was she found him in their little home together and boy told her—"

"'I changed my mind'," finished Angelica. "And then he turned his back on me."

"May I remind you who was gone that night," said Jack, facing her. He pointed at her. "So who was the one who did the back turning in all reality?"

"Yes, but who asked me to take my hand in marriage?" asked Angelica, now facing him.

"I," began Jack. "I…I…I…"

"Mm hm," said Angelica with an arched eyebrow as she turned away.

Will's eyes turned from Angelica to Jack several times until he looked at Jack impressed. "You not only asked her to marry you, but you left standing at the altar?"

"Maybe," said Jack with his head held high.

"Angelica, I was wrong about you. You have every reason to kill him," said Will. He motioned to Jack. "Be my guest."

"Friend stealer," Jack declared with his arms folded across his chest and head turned away.

"Heart breaker," retorted Angelica, standing with her back to Jack and her hands on her hips.

Will laughed at the display in front of him. "You two are hopelessly in love with each other. Not only is it obvious in your body language, but I can feel it. You two need to crawl into the same bed one night and do everything but talk." Jack and Angelica and the rest of the crew looked at him oddly. "What? It worked with Elizabeth and I, except it was sand and not a bed."

"Disgusting," said Angelica, turning to Jack. "I'd rather never love a man than allow you to give me that satisfaction."

"Come now Angelica, you know I won't be the first," said Jack.

"And if you are?" wondered Angelica.

"Ah ha!" Jack cried as he turned around and raised a finger. "You said 'are'. Are is word commonly stating what will become. Had you said 'were', it would be in the phrasing of 'what if'. Because you said 'are', you are admitting you would love to crawl in the same bed with me."

"There will be no crawling into beds on my ship," Will stated. "And we have something to discuss regarding the Fountain of Youth and the _Black_ _Pearl_."

"Yes we do," said Jack.

Will motioned them to follow. He led them up a small set of stairs and across a miniature deck then opened a set of French doors and motioned inside.

Jack barely stepped in two paces before he began whining aloud to himself. Firstly, the organ he thought that came with the growing sea life of the ship was still there across the room gleaming with brass pipes and ivory keys. A massive Persian rug in the colors of blues, greens, golds, and whites covered very well near the entire floor. The left side of the chamber was lined with shelves that rose to the ceiling, totaling four shelves in all. Each wooden shelf was occupied with a book. There was such an amount of books that books were laid flat on top of the books properly sitting on the shelves. The same number of shelves was on the right side of the chamber, but two of these shelves were stacked with little wooden carvings of everything imaginable. The shelf closest to the organ contained portfolios of sheet music. The third shelf consisted of charts of the sea, maps, and nautical instruments. A large armchair was on either side of the room beside a table.

Atop of them, a massive golden chandelier was partly lit. This particular chandelier was shaped in the form of a spiral with six layers in total. At all times, a quarter of those candles were lit, providing a soft glow. Smaller chandeliers were in each corner of the room. The massive window behind the organ let in natural light and extended from the ceiling to the boards on the bottom. If desired, an indigo blue curtain could be pulled across and take away the light.

Two massive globes were on either side of the organ. One was recognized as the Earth mapped in spherical form and the other was similar to the Earth, yet different, backwards in fact with specific routes drawn on.

There was nothing constricting the center of the chamber. The rug on the floor was free of everything, literally splitting the room in half. Itself, the rug was far too beautiful to cover.

Surprising most of all, chests, several dozen chests were placed about the room in no particular order at all. Some were large and others small. Some were rectangular and others were in cylinders.

"So beautiful," noted Angelica as she stepped further in the room and stood under the chandelier.

"Eh, I see it every day," said Will. He plopped in the arm chair on the right side of the room.

"I still say it needs something," noted Bill, sitting on the left.

Jack nodded to himself in understanding. There was reason the room had the appearance of being cut in half. The room was cut in half. His and his sides.

"How much of this is stolen?" wondered Gibbs purely of curiosity matter of course.

Bill and Will merely looked at each other smirking.

"William, you stole it?" asked Gibbs.

"Borrowed with and without permission," said Will. "Teague gave us most of it."

"What do you think of him?" wondered Jack.

"There is a lot you do not know about your father Jack," hinted Will. "Now, sit. There is the organ bench and the sofa and the chests."

Jack took a liking to the sofa, Angelica sat at the organ bench, and Gibbs settled himself on a flat chest. The Turners made note Jack and Angelica were as far apart from each other as possible.

"Can I ask why the abundance of chests?" said Gibbs.

Will motioned to his chest. "Do you see any keys?" Gibbs shook his head. "The key to the chest is in a chest in a chest inside of another chest inside of a chest in a chest in a chest within a chest. Every one of those seven chests has a different key of which only my father and I know the location to the correct chest and the keys. Make note my father also has a scar similar to mine. I caught the fool cutting into himself one day. Although immortal, we are partly mortal and therefore can receive mortal injuries."

"I am not the only to carve into my own chest William," reminded Bill.

"That is correct. Several loyal crewmen have the same mark. There is no clear indication towards who is the captain on this ship and no one will become close enough to feel if there is heartbeat or not," said Will. He turned his gaze to Angelica. "And I would appreciate you never speak of me personally being captain. It's not just my soul I protect."

"No need to worry," said Angelica knowing he was a man not to go against.

"Now," began Will, standing to shut and lock the doors and pull his blue curtains over them. "What is explained first? Jack's little secret he's only sharing once or what is needed to be done to get the _Pearl_ back?"

"Where is my ship?" wondered Jack curiously, yet beginning the topic.

"Your ship will be in your hands Jack Sparrow. There is nothing I can do. The _Black_ _Pearl_ is trapped inside the bottle until you retrieve the sword that was in Blackbeard's possession," said Will.

"All right, locate Queen Anne's Revenge," Jack said to himself. A smile widened across his face as he patted his compass. "That should be simple."

"Not quite so simple as you assume," hinted Bill.

"Jack, you need a ship. I cannot help you after this meeting unless it is my duty to a dying soul," said Will.

"Ships are everywhere mate. We'll row back to Shipwreck Cove and my father can locate us to a port where there are plenty of ships for me to commandeer," said Jack.

"Or I raise one for you with minor tweaks of course," said Will.

Gibbs looked at Jack with that look and groaned. "I told you so."

"The fastest ship on the seas for your compass," stated Will. "You give me your compass and choose any ship you can think of that has been sunk on these waters to borrow. Give me the ship back and you get your compass back. Those are the terms."

"My compass," said Jack, protectively holding his compass.

"Jack we need a ship," reminded Angelica.

"And what are you sacrificing for this venture?" wondered Jack.

"Also, there is something you should know," added Will. "I don't know how he came to find it. The sword that was in Blackbeard's former possession is the Sword of Cortés."

"Ay Dios mio. Bloody hell," Jack groaned as he smacked his palm to his forehead. "No, no, no, no, no."

"Something wrong?" asked Gibbs.

"I take it you've heard of it," noted Bill.

"Heard of it?" Jack laughed aloud. "I've more than heard of it mates. I've wielded it. I found the sword when I was a teenager. The Sword of Cortés was my first treasure and supernatural found. That sword is the most deadly weapon on Earth."

"Do you care to enlighten?" asked Angelica.

Jack put up no fight with her snappy words. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands folded. "Legend tells of a sword wielded by Hernán Cortés himself. It was how he conquered the Aztecs. The sword gives the handler limitless power as long as he possess both the sword and scabbard, which Old late Teach did. The sword possesses a great, terrible, and strange power. I should have seen the signs. It's not every day, even for me that ropes twist from being limp into hanging men from the ship not to mention the Revenge sailed forward with but a thrust of the sword. Angelica, did you ever find it curious and unnatural of the occurrences on the ship?"

"Always, but I did not question," replied Angelica.

"When I had the sword in my possession," explained Jack. "I turned a fancy little fishing vessel into two gun deck, three masted ship. I made it snow in the middle of the Caribbean. I caused a dried up valley to become a lake. All of this was accomplished with a little thought and the point of a sword. A man has the ability to sail a ship himself with that sword. You can change the weathers and the currents and the seas themselves. You make it snow in the Caribbean or sandstorm in Greenland. That sword obeys every will you have. Everything, but give immortality. If it be so, that sword acts like my compass. If you will the location of one thing or another, the sword will take you there. I know factly for a fact, the power to wield that sword is not easily achieved. If that power is achieved, its possessor may as well be more immortal than drinking from the Fountain of Youth."

No words were spoken. No eyes were looking at any other. All five were fixed in gazes of their own with no recollection the world beyond their thoughts. A sword like that was a great power indeed. Even Will felt the sword a threat to him. The will of the man with sword desiring to captain his ship would lead right to the chest. Angelica felt like a fool. All that time her father could have found the way to the Fountain of Youth had he willed it enough. He could have saved himself if only he had known. She wouldn't have had his sacrifice save her. She could have had him as her father.

"Now that I think on it, I always had a speculation it was the sword," she admitted. "Whenever odd events took place, the sword was in his possession. The sword never left his side. He slept with the sword. I do not believe he knew it to be the Sword of Cortés however. He did know it possessed magical qualities."

"And whoever has that sword right now has those qualities," added Gibbs.

"A truly discomforting notion that is," said Jack.

"Considering that sword's power is the only way you're going to get your ship out of the bottle," said Will. "To get the _Black_ _Pearl_ out of its glass prison is to will it out while smashing the glass. You must have both sword and scabbard on your person. If the will to have the ship out of the bottle is not great enough, both ship and bottle will be cut in half."

"Don't have to worry about having the will to get the ship out," Jack told them confidently.

"Are you sure?" wondered Bill skeptically.

"At the moment yes," said Jack. "So, all's we have to do is get the Sword of Cortés aboard Queen Anne's Revenge and then I can get my ship out and life will resume. I like it. Let's go."

He stood on his feet and made to leave.

"Hector Barbossa is currently captaining Queen Anne's Revenge and possessing both scabbard and sword," Will's voice added causing Jack's footsteps to stop dead where they stood. "The Letters of Marque are ripped and uniform gone. Captain Barbossa, the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea has returned."

"That's even more discomforting. That's deathly," said Jack. He turned his head with fear in his eyes. "He's not going to give up that sword is he?"

"He'll give it up only to get the _Black_ _Pearl_ out of the bottle and then take command of her leaving you with the Revenge," said Bill. "I'll bet the stars on it."

"Yes, well, I'd rather never get the _Pearl_ out of the bottle than know it's in his possession," said Jack.

"No matter the ship or not, the sword must be taken out of his hands and any who know of it. Calypso has agreed to house the sword in the Bermuda Triangle where she resides. You must get the sword," said Will.

"What of Jack's connection to the doll?" Angelica asked quite suddenly, as though she could no longer keep it to herself.

"If that doll ends up in the wrong hands, Jack Sparrow is dead," Will told them. "You have to find a way to sever your connection to the doll. That doll is the only thing that can kill you Jack. To exemplify it, if Angelica is stabbed through the heart with a sword, one year of immortality is taken away. If that doll is stabbed through the location of where your heart is and kept there, you will die from that injury. Your years will be taken until there are no more years. She could walk the Earth with that sword through her most vital organ, but you, you will die in a matter of seconds or minutes or hours or days. I don't know how long something fatal has to be in that doll to kill you, but it will kill you nonetheless. If you were mortal, Angelica cutting into your chest would have killed you. Every fatal injury received to those who drink from the Fountain takes away one year of life from the soul you took lives from."

"That's the trick. The more you boast your immortality the more souls you use," noted Jack.

Will nodded. "And the younger the soul the less times you have need to return. Say you take the years away from an elder; you will have need to return to the Fountain in months perhaps. Take away the years from a child; you won't have to return for an entire lifetime."

"That's not a problem anymore though. Those Spanish folk destroyed the Fountain," reminded Gibbs, attempting his hardest to lighten the dark mood in the chamber.

"Do you have the knowledge of removing the connection between Jack and the doll?" asked Angelica.

"I do not," said Will sadly.

"New Orleans," Bill announced from above them. He had book in his hand and leaned against his shelf as he stood on the ladder. "New Orleans is the closest location to the dark magic known as Voodoo. That doll is a Voodoo doll. Locate Madame Morgane Delacroix. She is a professional with the dark magic of Voodoo specializing in dolls so it reads here. Be warned, looks are deceiving with this woman and she is not to be crossed or doubted."

"Back to New Orleans even," said Jack. "I feel I'm going to run into Tumen and Arabella and Jean and Constance. I wonder if that nasty cat curse ever wore off of her. Huh? Interesting. Did I also mention it was my doing that New Orleans turned into bronze and silver and gold? If you believe such a story."

"All right, what do we do with the doll in the meantime?" asked Angelica, not allowing any room for Jack's precious stories.

"For hating me so dearly as you do you are so dearly trying figure out how to save me from my fatal attraction to your play toy," noted Jack.

Angelica ignored Jack's smart comment and smirk. She kept her eyes on the one person who could help her save Jack's life.

"Keep the doll out of the wrong hands," replied Will. "I'm sorry to say that is all you can do."

"You're left with two options Jack," said Bill.

"Give me your compass and you get a ship of your choosing modified to be the fastest out there, or keep your compass and find a ship on your own," finished Will.

Considering his options, Jack's lips twisted to the right and his eyes went to the left. If he did give up his compass he would get the fastest ship on the seas, but that left him with no compass and going back to the primitive times of using maps and charts and tracking a man down on his own. If he kept his compass, he could use it to find a ship worthy of himself and everything he needed to get done. Curiosity was a curious thing to him nowadays. Curiosity tempted him to open his compass. Curiosity killed the cat right there. The needle spun and spun and spun as though he was in the Locker again. He shook the compass less than gently and opened it once again.

Spinning.

"A compass crafted from witchcraft that currently spins because you don't know what you most or the fastest ship out there. Rely on a compass and hope it points or trust your own instincts for once. This is your own life you're trying to defend. You're racing against time itself. Immortal or not, time is running out. The longer you remain connected to that doll, the simpler it will be to kill you. The more time Barbossa has with that sword, the more secrets he will discover," Will's voice said from a distance.

"Any ship I can think of?" said Jack.

"Aye," replied Will.

"I don't know what I want most," said Jack. "I haven't since a girl from the past came back into my future. I didn't use the compass once while on that island because all it did was shift. It would point to a girl and then to the Fountain on occasion, but it mostly spun."

"Think about it Jack," said Will standing and moving to his side. "There are two people who think like Jack." Jack looked at him oddly and then Will motioned to Angelica. "Your souls feel the same to me. Undying. Heartbroken. Fearing love and emotion. Starving for love. Afraid to lose the one they love. Lonely. Terrified. You and Angelica can do this together. Put aside the past. If you are to save your futures, you must form an alliance. She has nothing but the Revenge and she needs you to get it back. You need her to help you sever the connection. Both of you know that sword must be removed from mortal hands. Mortals cannot accomplish what two immortals can."

"You said it yourself mate, that doll may as well make you consider me mortal," said Jack.

"As long as it does not end up in the wrong hands," reminded Will.

"You're immortal?"

Jack turned to Angelica who was staring at him with wide eyes and an open mouth. Wonder was in those brown eyes, wonder that he hadn't seen before. She slowly stood and stepped forward. Her footfalls made no sound in the open chamber. She had the ethereal appearance of walking on air.

"You drank from the Fountain?"

"Mistakenly," replied Jack, his eyes low.

"Why didn't you tell me?" wondered Angelica, not with anger, but the feeling of betrayal.

"One simply does not go about telling the world he has had a drink from the Fountain of Youth," Jack told her obviously. "One certainly does not admit that to those who are seeking it. I didn't tell anyone to save my own life. I sure as hell don't know what Blackbeard would have done to me if I told him, nor did I know the whole story of how I became immortal until you told me."

"Who was the sacrifice?" wondered Angelica.

"She sacrificed herself," said Jack.

"How did you manage to get a tear and not tell us?" asked Angelica.

"She did not me," replied Jack.

"What did you know before I told you?" wondered Angelica.

Jack shrugged. "I knew you needed a chalice, but not both of them, and I knew where those chalices were and I had the knowledge of the location of both the island and the entrance. I knew what was needed, not the key components that seal. I knew not about the tear or the mortal sacrifice or the knowledge that both chalices are needed. She learned of those key components after a mermaid told her."

"Jack, I can see the pain and tears in your eyes," noted Angelica. Instinct of someone who cared for him caused her to gently press her palm against Jack's cheek and Jack did not flinch or pull away. "Mi amor, what happened?"

The solemn, haunted pirate sat on the armchair. He pushed the cloth to his right sleeve to his shoulder where a scar on his left bicep began the story and the scar had the appearance of a bite. "While trekking through the jungle after I had the box of chalices under me arm, I was bit by a snake. If I may add, when you put that snake in front of my face I damn well nearly sprinted back to the shore had I not been too terrified to move. Not five minutes after I was bit had I already fallen into poisoned delirium. I can only clearly recall the three of us rushing to the entrance. Once delirium did pass before my mind and swim through my blood, I knew nothing. I learned these events from Tonra, a merman, who do exist, after this happened. He was a mer-acquaintance of mine I made while I was a teenager. Apparently, she dragged me nearly limp, poisoned carcass through the tunnels leading to the entrance. She opened the portal and got us through it. By the time she got me to the waters, I've been told I was barely breathing and struggling with my last few breaths to do so. Thinking logically like I did, she filled a cup and had me drink. Over and over she did this to me while apparently telling me not to die on her and she loved me and she needed me and I couldn't die and she couldn't do it alone.

"A mermaid had been watching this and her feeble, dreadfully unsuccessful attempt to save me life. This mermaid told her how the waters gave immortality. She chose. She said she was willing to sacrifice her life and her own soul to save mine. Naturally, the mermaid cried. She had never heard of such a sacrifice. She thought it was beautiful and the love that was mine was more beautiful than the sun shining in the water on a coral reef. The mermaid's tears were not of pain, but beauty. Such a sight was so beautiful she couldn't help it. The tear was put in one chalice and water in the other. I was given the one with water and she drank—" Jack choked on his words and lowered his head. His hands ran through his hair. He breathed in heavily. "She drank from the one without the water. Because I was an inch from death, I awoke after she became dust and bone. I didn't have to watch it and thankfully the third did not either because Tonra had gotten her out before she watched her mother's sacrifice. At the time this incident occurred Tonra told me she died in the jungle after she too was bitten. I made it here barely and he helped me drink. That damn merman told me what she did six days ago when I was sitting on the Shipwreck Island's beach. He swam up and finally told me the truth. Since I had seen the ritual and learned its secrets, there was no need to keep it from me any longer."

Angelica raised Jack's head with her forefinger. Both palms cupped his cheeks and her thumbs wiped his moistened eyes. She said no words seeing this was hurting Jack. Whoever she was, she was dear to Jack. Although she would never admit it to him while he was in such a state, she felt more betrayed and unloved by Jack Sparrow. Once nearly married and he was mourning another woman's death.

"Anamaria. Her name was Anamaria," Jack said at last.

A gasp escaped both Turners in the room and Will knelt to Jack level. He attempted to speak, but only air came from his mouth.

Jack swallowed. "Yes, Will, that Anamaria. She didn't do it to save my life either. She did it to save her own life more than mine. Yes, she did love me, but it was because of me she became a prisoner. The love she always wanted she got from me and she couldn't do it without me. She was never meant to be a mother. She didn't love her daughter as much as she should have so sacrificed herself so I was given the burden and not her. I had taken a liking to her daughter and her daughter liked me. Having a child killed Anamaria. That child took away all freedom she ever had. That child killed her the day she found out she was with that child. To save herself and myself, she drank and gave me her years. If I wouldn't have gotten bit, she would be alive. If I knew right when I was searching for the Fountain of Youth that a mortal sacrifice was needed, I would have stopped sailing right there and destroyed the map. And yet here we are Angelica; we are but two immortals made immortal by the willing sacrifice of another. I willingly sacrificed your father's years and Anamaria willingly sacrificed hers. Not a bad pair we make."

"What happened to the little girl?" whispered Angelica.

"She's in Shipwreck Cove at the moment and under my father's watch. When I am unable to be her father my father looks after her and he's been looking after her more and more lately," replied Jack. He looked at Will with cold eyes. "There is more than one way to get what I want without it.

The compass that pointed to whatever it was the possessor desired was held out towards Will.

"I want the ship _Tristan_ raised from the depths of the north Atlantic. Latitude, 35 West. Longitude, 48 North. Damn near the center between Newfoundland and France," replied Jack.

"All right," said Will cautiously, not feeling very well about this situation especially because Jack knew the exact ship's name and where it was located.

"And I'll need a crew," noted Jack pushing them aside and standing again. He blinked away the remainder of the emotion he was feeling and cleared his throat. "Who did you ferry after the _Pearl_ was taken? Is there anyone left who knows the mind of Jack Sparrow who is as insane as I so he is able to put up with two of me?"

"Cotton is gone," began Bill. "The parrot is in the bottle with that monkey."

"Marty," added Will.

"Those two bumbling marines," said Bill.

"The rest of the crew was taken as well. Barbossa was the only one who escaped and that was by his own means and I still cannot believe he did that," said Will.

"It's him. No man chooses his fate but himself and he did what was necessary to continue on," said Bill.

"Then Old Hector did cut his leg from himself," noted Jack.

"He told you," assumed Will.

"Changes no opinion of mine between him and I and our relationship that has never been," Jack said to clarify any wonder whatsoever. "Although I admit I admire his private stash of rum, but I am not going to sever any body parts to a limb of rum."

"Are ye telling me Jack, Hector Barbossa has a bottle of rum in that leg of his?" wondered Gibbs.

"Yeah, we shared half the bottle while captured by the Españols," said Jack.

"Behave as privateers by the gods my ass," muttered Gibbs, recalling his refused drink of rum while overlooking the charts.

"Ever heard of Kroken's Lair?" asked Will.

Jack thought hard about that question. Kroken's Lair. Nope, didn't ring any bells. Then again, Kroken. He once knew a person who called it Kroken and another who called it Kray-ken with a long "a". Kraken slayers. Serve up a piece as a souvenir. "Am I under the right impression that a Pintel and Ragetti were not on my ship when Barbossa lost her."

"The owners of Kroken's Lair are living in Charleston Carolina. They decided to make their fortune elsewhere seeing as Barbossa was no longer able to provide for them. They wanted a change of pace. So, they put their heads together and began writing and publishing books," said Will.

"In fact, I have one right here," Bill announced as he climbed down the ladder. He strolled to the table beside his chair. "Take a look Jack."

With a smile of gratitude, Jack reached out and accepted the book. It was a rather small book in size, bound in the normal leather and written in gold filigree. "Captain Orion Halloran: The Birth of the Wicked Wench."

"Jack, wasn't the Wicked Wench the name of your ship when I mattered in your life?" wondered Angelica, taking the words from Jack's mouth.

Not hearing her, Jack flipped through the book. Not only were there words and chapters, but illustrations as well. In the center of the book at the exact center one drawing brought back many memories. Someone he assumed being Orion Halloran stood at a dock overlooking the side of the ship called Wicked Wench. Long ago, he found himself standing at the dock overlooking the Wicked Wench.

"Take a look at this one Jack," said Bill. "Orion Halloran: The Beginning of the Legend. Here is an illustration of Captain Halloran himself."

Jack shoved the book into Bill's chest and grabbed the book with the illustration. Opposite the first page of the story there indeed was a drawing. The man stood proud on a rock. One arm was clutching a map and the other was holding a sword. His eyes were gazing toward the horizon. His attire was like that of a true Caribbean pirate, sashes, hat, layers, knick knacks hanging from his person, knee high boots. About his head he wore a bandana. A single strand of beads hung down the left side of his face. His dark hair was mostly pulled back in a messy pony tail. The left ear gleamed with earrings. The smile was gold toothed. The eyes were kohl lined, and huge, just like the man who was gazing at the page.

"That vaguely has the appearance of someone I know better than anyone on this Earth or in any world," he noted with a proud smile on his face.

"He should. Orion Halloran is you," said Will. "Pintel and Ragetti had more adventures with you than they could ever imagine and knew ever story of Jack Sparrow. So, after Barbossa failed to deliver them with the Fountain of Youth, they decided to live forever with their fortunes in a different matter. It was a rough beginning, but they pulled through and published one of the most successful series of adventure books for children out there. Rumor has it they also sell pieces of the Kraken inside the shop, hence the name. Personally I know they don't, but the name Kroken's Lair stuck and they kept up with it. Every Saturday at noon, there is a storytelling of one of Captain Halloran's tales."

"And if I were you two, I would start with them to join your crew. They probably would," hinted Bill.

"And learn of Orion Halloran's latest adventure," added Will.

"Angelica," said Jack, turning to her with the image of his alter ego outward. "We have need to travel to Charleston and you will have to wear a dress there luv."

"Like you can pass for someone of civilized nature?" wondered Angelica.

"Which leads to another issue at hand," began Will, his voice hinting at something more.

"William, if you mention one more problem that said pirate must solve, I am going to figure out a way to kill you," said Jack.

Will merely went to the other side of the room and returned with a rolled object in his hand. He batted the rolled paper against his shoulder a few times. "Not sure you'll love this or hate it."

"Give me that," Jack said, reaching forward and taking it himself.

He unrolled the paper fully. His lower lip was bit between his teeth and his right eyebrow was arched. A look of discomfort passed across his face. His head tilted from side to side as he muttered to himself. Of all things, a smile widened across his face.

"At least they didn't forget the Captain," he said, looking on the brighter side of things.

Angelica whipped around the paper and sighed heavily. "May have unintentionally slighted a King or other?" she asked using the words Jack once spoke to her. "Jack, this is a wanted poster for you and the drawing looks exactly like you."

"Not quite," said Jack in a pouting tone. "They didn't get my eyes right."

"Close enough that if we go to Charleston you'll be hanged," spat Angelica. "Or rather they'll attempt to hang you only to discover you cannot die."

"I did not threaten the King of England. I didn't even touch him," said Jack. He sighed and rolled up the poster. "Wanted for crimes that I didn't even commit."

"Yes, well Barbossa has his own fair share of wanted posters out there for deserting the Royal Navy in his time of commission and falsely using his Letters of Marque," added Bill, pleasure in his voice.

"Except Barbossa can't change his appearance like Jack Sparrow can," said Will.

Jack's eyes went wide as four wide smiles looked at him evilly and devilishly. He grabbed two handfuls worth of dreadlocks and pulled them behind his head. His head shook furiously. "I am not changing my appearance. Uh uh. Nope, this is who I am and this is how I shall stay."

"And not be able to travel anywhere," added Angelica. She stepped forward with the most devilish grin of all. A hand reached out to stroke Jack's dreadlocks. "Jack Sparrow looking like a proper English gentleman. I cannot wait to see this."

"And I can't wait to see you in a dress," said Jack.

"Ha! At least I don't have to cut off my hair and pull it out and remove the eyeliner that you wear too much and the beads, all of the beads, and the clothes, bandana, and the hat," said Angelica, pleasurably saying the words.

Jack whined as he firmly pressed his head into his hat. "The hat stays."

"I will enjoy pulling out your hair," said Angelica, pulling on two dreads.

"My father will be a pulling out the hair," Jack told her as he stepped away. "Along with everything else."

"Secondly, there is a rumor on the seas that I've heard from Spanish souls," said Will, concern in his voice. "One Spaniard was left behind at the Fountain of Youth to ensure what became of those who remained there. He made note three were left when they took their leave, only two walked out. Rumor has it either the señor or señorita is immortal. What I gathered as I was taking his record, the one known as the Spaniard is hunting down the daughter of Blackbeard and the Sparrow. He is determined to make them suffer through every year of their immortality for disrupting what the Lord did not give."

"Has he considered that the High Lord up in the clouds decided we were to become two immortals by means of drinking the water?" wondered Jack.

"Jack, Angelica, you two must sever the connection to the doll, retrieve the Sword of Cortés and bring it back to me, restore the _Black_ _Pearl_, and avoid both the Royal Navy's noose and torture before the eyes of King Ferdinand of Spain," warned Will.

"Sounds easy enough," said Jack without concern in his voice.

Angelica looked at him incredulously. She shook her head at him and rolled his eyes. "Can we depend on you, Captain Turner, to keep us informed?"

"I can no longer provide my services after this day," Will said shaking his head. "I've already taken away two days of my duty to the souls I must look after. The service I can provide you is a place aboard this ship."

"That's discomforting," noted Jack.

"Oh, and you should locate Philip and Syrena. They'll help as well," added Bill.

"Philip? Why does that name ring bells in my head?" Jack asked himself.

"The Missionary and the mermaid?" wondered Angelica.

"Oh that Philip," Jack said with a snap. "Why?"

"You could use a man of good faith and the Lord's blessing on your side Jack," Bill told them solemnly.

"That too, and she was a mermaid. She'll know more than you think she does about the sea," said Will.

"Is a mermaid. She is a mermaid," corrected Angelica.

Will shook his head. "Not quite so much anymore. She sacrificed her mer-life so that Philip could live. Mermaids have two lives: one which they live out in the sea and one on land. They have the ability to live twice as long should they desire, but only so long as they live out both lives. She cut her life in half when she gave Philip her mermaid years."

"Hold on a minute," Jack said, waving his arms in the air. "Let me get something straight here. The mermaid gave up her mermaid life for a human?"

"Yes," replied Will simply.

"But mermaids are cruel, ruthless, tough, man-stealing, drowning creatures," noted Jack.

"She was different in his eyes," said Angelica. "And he was different in hers. We got the tear after she cried for joy when Philip told her she was not filled with curses, but of happiness. They are each other's happiness. He must have gone back to free her and she—how is it she gave him her years? The Fountain was destroyed."

"Yes it was. Angelica and Teachy shared the last few drops," added Jack.

"Ah, but only the Fountain was destroyed, not the water," said Will with both forefingers in the air.

"The water comes from below Jack. It's an illusion. One believes the water falls from the now destroy archway. The water rises from the pool below the arch and slides back down into the pool on the arched rock. What you caught in those chalices was merely the dripping water from above," explained Bill.

"All right, so then how did this former mermaid come by the waters from the pool below?" wondered Gibbs, who was all but remembered.

Will sighed heavily. He rubbed his messy palms against his cheeks. "When I became Master of the Seas, I never imagined I would literally master the seas. Jack Sparrow, I own the keys to the path to the pool below. I own the only key to Aqua de Vida. The chalices are also with the Water of Life. Seeing as souls fall into my hands, drinking those waters alters one's soul. It is now my choice if a man deserves to drink from those waters or not. I only allowed Philip to receive half of Syrena's years because not only did she have two lives to give, but because she once saw a sacrifice of love that she thought would never be. She once watched a woman willingly say she would give her years for the man she loved. When Philip came into her life and he helped her, she got a chance to know what the beautiful love as you called it felt like. Like the woman she saw, she couldn't live without the man she loved. Only now do I realize that mermaid who told Anamaria how to save your life was Syrena. Last I heard from Philip, he said he was going to take his Syrena to Grand Bahama Island and teach her and help her adapt to being human."

"Well this is all just bloody pathetic," noted Jack.

"It's sweet. She loved him with all her heart to give up half of her life just for one life with him," said Angelica softly.

"The same mermaid who watched meself come back to life with a sacrifice sacrifices herself so her boyfriend who she knew for a day can live? I've had many flings in my life, but I would never sacrifice half my life for someone I've known for a matter of a day," said Jack. "Not to mention, my best friend possesses the key to Aqua de Vida."

"Among other things," added Will.

"Really, like what?" wondered Jack. He shook his head with a sudden change of thought. "Tell me something William, why can you not help me? Honestly mate, you get the sword and I get rid of the doll. We'll be done with this in a day."

"Because this is your story Jack Sparrow. My story began when you came into my life and ended when you helped my hand pierce Jones's heart. This is a new era. This is your era. This is now Jack Sparrow's story. By right I shouldn't be here talking with you. Not even Jack Sparrow knows who Jack Sparrow is. Your story began when you set out to find the Fountain of Youth. It ends when you decide it does. Find yourself Jack. Fill in the empty pages of the legend," said Will.

"Ah, but I was still in your story," recalled Jack.

"As am I. So long as you are sailing without your compass on the ship _Tristan_ as you requested, I am part of your story. When you no longer have need for the ship and your compass returned, I am no longer required to fill in pages," said Will.

"I don't like this," said Jack honestly. "It isn't that is too much for Captain Jack Sparrow to handle, it is just that it is more than he usually handles with less of what needs to solve a situation."

"You will never be alone on this venture Jack," said Will with a smile. His eyes moved from Jack to beside Jack. "Trust me."

Jack followed Will's eyes to a thoughtful Angelica as she was curled in an armchair looking at nothing but images from her mind. Her face was weary and saddened. Fear was in her eye as well as heartbreak. Fear surrounded her.

"Find the Sword of Cortés and bring it back to you is it? All while a stop in New Orleans and avoiding both Spanish and English?" asked Jack to clarify things one more time.

"Aye," replied Will.

"This should be interesting," admitted Jack. He looked at Angelica again. "Very interesting."

"Now," said Will, clapping his hands together. He motioned to Jack with his palms pressed. "You and Angelica and Gibbs go into the City and start rearranging your appearance and I shall find the _Tristan_ for you."

"We're at the Cove?" wondered Gibbs, heading to the window.

"We've been for several hours," said Bill.

"Oh, fancy that," said Jack. "Come Master Gibbs, I have to warn my father the Seville Spanish Lady is here."

"Aye, you might want to warn him," agreed Gibbs.

Angelica sat curled in the chair not moving as Jack and Gibbs left the room. She remained lost with her thoughts among herself. More than she had ever wanted to hear was told. Jack loved another woman and he mourned her still. Jack was looking after a little girl. Jack's connection to the doll could kill him. Jack was a wanted man against the crown. Jack was frightened and lost. Jack was not Jack. Jack depended on her to stay alive. Jack knew less than he should have. Jack didn't have a ship or a crew. Jack was forced to change who he is because of her most likely. Jack was so very much loved in her heart.

"Ah, Angelica, I kind of need you to leave the ship so I can search for the _Tristan_," hinted Will.

"Why does everything always happen to Jack Sparrow?" she asked aloud.

"Because he's Jack Sparrow. As long as there is a Jack Sparrow out there, everything will always happen to him," said Will. He knelt in front of her and raised her head with his forefinger under her jaw. "As long you are at Jack's side, you have no need to fear for his life. He will never admit it, but he needs you. You are his compass now. The two of you are like sun and moon; separate, yet have purpose to the other and when together form an image of perfection and harmony. Jack is the sunset and you are the sunrise. Your destinies parted once, but they are forever joined. One cannot survive without the other. Keep that in bear mind."

Angelica nodded her head. She thanked Will for everything and the information provided. Even she admitted he wasn't what she expected from the captain of the _Flying_ _Dutchman_. He was unfairly made so, yet rightly chosen. There was more to him than met the eye and the eye could not search.

She stepped off the ship and green flash blinded behind her. Her eyes gazed up at Shipwreck City. Years passed since her last little trip here. Nothing had changed at all. It was as though she would walk back through those doors and see Jack's father looking at her with a smirk. Edward Teague always did declare she was the only woman for his son and he would bet his soul the two of them would end up together one day. She was beginning to think he was right.

Unfortunately, she admired Teague and always thought of him as a father before she met her real father. It was he who explained men to her. He taught her the ways of the Code, loopholes included if she ever needed to use them. He was a good man, who failed at being a father to his son. He always wanted to do what was best for Jack and ruined it because he didn't know how to be a father. Yet, with all the referencing Jack did to his father, their relationship had come around since her days. If Jack Sparrow and Edward Teague were in Shipwreck City for nine days together without one of them dead that was evidence enough that they were a family.

Jack wasn't so lucky as she always thought he was though. His father was always right there and alive, yet Teague never wanted anything to do with Jack. For quite a time Teague hated Jack and thought of him as the pox on the Teague name, the reason Jack called himself Sparrow and not Teague. Just now the two of them were becoming father and son. She loses her father and watches Jack find his. It wasn't so bad really she supposed. Jack did deserve his father after all those years of being pushed away. She never knew her father enough to need him. More or less, she mourned him because she didn't know him and the thoughts of what would be hurt her.

"Hello Hija Gorrión."

Sparrow Girl. Angelica shut her eyes. Only one person alive called her that and he had ever since Jack introduced her to him.

"Teague," she greeted less than pleased.

"I always knew you end up with Jackie one day," noted Teague.

"How did I know you were going to say that?" Angelica asked as she approached him.

"Because I'm Jack's father," replied Teague.

"Fair enough," said Angelica.

Teague set a palm on her back and motioned inside the fortress with the other arm.

Angelica smirked. There was one thing separating Edward Teague from his menace of a son: he knew how to treat a woman with respect. If only Jack would learn a little respect toward a female now and then would she prefer him over his father.

"Jack," she called.

"Hm?" wondered Jack turning his head.

Angelica stepped forward. Her hands were behind her back and her face down. She stood face to face with Jack, their noses nearly touching. Her hands caressed his cheeks. "Jack, if I could choose any man in the world to crawl into my bed tonight," she whispered seductively. Her lips approached Jack's and a hand went behind the pirate's neck. "I would choose…" she leaned in closer. "Your father."

"Don't have to ask again," said Jack dreamily as he leaned down for that kiss. His eyes snapped open and his mouth went agape. "Wot!"

To add more insult to injury, Angelica kissed Teague's cheek and waved at Jack before walking past Teague and out of the room.

Teague cleared his throat and lowered his head to hide his blushing face. He whistled. "Jackie, remind me again why you left her standing at the altar."

"I hate her," Jack muttered through his teeth as he walked the opposite direction of Angelica.

"I must be doing well for my age," Teague mumbled to himself proudly.

He shook his head. It wasn't everyday a young woman said she would want him to get into her bed, yet he had a feeling she only said that to upset Jack and get payback at something he did to her once upon a time. Still, his day was a little more cheery. Even if she didn't mean it at all, he felt a little younger and better about his decaying, white haired appearance. She even kissed him on the cheek.

"Yeah, I'm good with her being here Jack," he said to himself.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**Firstly and foremost as always, muchas gracias for all the reviews and sticking with this crazy, cryptic story. **

**it was in fact Anamaria who sacrificed herself to helpless Jack Sparrow. more about this little girl will be shared. as for Philip and Syrena, this is just my idea of how she saved him. there are a million out there so why not add another to the list? they will show up later.**

**Pintel and Ragetti will be joining Jack and Angelica and Gibbs within time. i had to bring them back. i love their insanity too much not to have them.**

**as some, hopefully most of you know, the Sword of Cortés is part of the Jack Sparrow series written by Rob Kidd volumes 1-4. Tonra is also from the series, introduced in volume 12. the references to New Orleans turning into bronze, silver, and gold are in volumes 5, 6, and 7. haven't decided if I want Tumen, Arabella, Jean, and Constance (who are with Jack through the entire series) to show up yet. they may or may not depending how this is going. more references to the Jack Sparrow series will come up later, and will be explained for those of you who haven't read it. **

**Jack and Angelica will finally begin falling back in love with each other in the next chapter for those of you hopeless Jack/Angelica romantics. (i'll admit i've fallen under their adorableness as well). as for the once being engaged, Angelica did say she was ready to say her vows and changing his mind is something Jack would do.**

**oh, and a bunch of you have made note that in the film Angelica said she "was ready to take her vows" in regards to the Convent. i am aware of this, but chose to take it to a more creative license perspective.  
><strong>

**whew! so what do you think now? comments? questions? concerns? likes? thoughts? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!**


	4. Playing With Dolls

**XXX Playing With Dolls XXX**

Scissors. The two metal shears when together created a deadly sharp cut in just about anything. Two triangular metal blades attached by a screw gleamed in the sunlight, awaiting the handler. The creaking produced from the metal clanging together while cutting was not that of comfort.

Knife. Where scissors failed to deliver, the knife was next. Tougher, thicker metal meant more cutting. The blade was larger and more durable. There was no more reason to fear a knife than looking at the sharp, slanted blade. The particular knife on the table gleamed with a dull glow at the curve of the blade, smiling back up at him with the pleasure of his discomfort.

Comb. Several metal teeth of different sizes and lengths were presented before him. Some teeth were thicker like a small pick and others were as thin as a few pieces of hair wound together. The longer the teeth the more they chewed.

Brush. A much gentler object than the comb, but a brush was for removing out the nasty knots to begin with. It was gentler on the human head, but still not nice.

Oil. Jars of oil glowed. The shadow produced by the sun and the jar gave a clear glow of the color of the oil in the jar. The jars just happened to have a yellowish tint from the oil and therefore a yellowish shadow on the table. Three of them were before him all of the size of canning jars.

Water. There were times humans embraced water, but this was not one of them. A small basin was filled with steaming water. Water was among the more deadly of elements on Earth. Frozen, liquid, or air; all three killed a man.

Soap. The cleanly object cleaned away all impurities and removed oil's and dirt from various objects. Kohl was included in those impurities.

Cloth. Piles of cloth before him were in different shapes and forms: washrag, hand towel, hair drying towel, general towel for wiping any liquid from a surface. Keeping water away from the face was another use for those cloths.

"Jackie, you look like I'm going to perform surgery on you," noted Teague as he returned with more water.

"You are," replied Jack.

"Cutting your hair is much different from cutting into your body," said Teague.

"My hair is still my body," said Jack.

"Jonathan," said Teague, using Jack's God given name. He set his hands on Jack's shoulders and began massaging. "It's not the end of the world. Honestly son, it's about time you get your own wanted posters. A pirate is not a good enough pirate until he has wanted posters out there. The more he is wanted the better he is. The more detail there is on the poster, the more acts of piracy he has committed."

"I didn't even threaten the King. He requested audience with me. He removed the shackles. Alls I did was break a few windows and chandeliers and steal a creampuff. May I add, that creampuff was delicious," said Jack.

"You always did like your sugar," noted Teague.

"Always will," said Jack, feeling much better about the situation.

"Now, remove your tunic and we can get this over with," said Teague.

Jack's eyes widened. "What? Why must I remove my tunic? I like it where it is thank you."

"Jack, I need to give your hair an oil bath before attempting to comb the snakes from your head boy."

"It's an old one anyway. Oil or not it must be replaced."

"Really? Then why is it the clothes you were wearing an hour ago are hanging on that line right there drying in the sunlight?"

Jack's eyes turned to his window where there was a line of drying clothes and those clothes happened to be his old clothes. The clothes he was presently wearing were his new clothes and the tunic especially. Hands began to pull on the cloth.

"No!" he cried, ducking under his father's arm.

"All right Jonathan, now you're irritating me," warned Teague. "Take the tunic off. NOW!"

"We can do this with it on," insisted Jack.

"What are you hiding from me?" demanded Teague. "What did you do now?"

"Let me just establish I didn't do it," said Jack, both forefingers raised in the air.

"What happened?" wondered Teague, stepping forward causing Jack to step back until Jack was trapped by a wall and his father's arms. "There is fear in your eyes boy and it's not from your angry father. What do you not want me knowing? Hm?"

"Something I don't want you knowing," said Jack with an innocent smile.

The younger pirate ducked under his father's arms. Having raised Jack Sparrow and given Jack Sparrow half of his blood and brains, Teague was expecting it. He still knew Jack better than any man. In the process of Jack ducking under his arms, Jack just happened to be on a very short leash. The tails to Jack's tunic were in the fist of his father's right hand. Teague pulled the tails.

Fighting him, Jack also pulled at his tunic. Common physics stated when two opposing forces were pulling on one object one of those forces would overcome and prevail. It just so happened in the middle of the two Teagues cussing at each other while pulling, the weakest force was broken. The weakest force of course was the tunic.

Jack and Teague fell back on the floor with half of the tunic in each other's palm. As old as he was, Teague was still quicker than Jack. He leapt on top of Jack, sitting on his stomach and forcing his arms to the floor.

"How did you do that?" wondered Jack, impressed with his father.

"Oh, Jack," whispered Teague tenderly, his eyes on the scar.

The father's eyes were large and forehead wrinkled. His cheekbones were quite high and mouth open. Glistening tears stung his eyes. There was a very good reason Jack was fighting him as tough as he was. He was expecting another tattoo on Jack's body or a sign that he and Angelica had already gotten a bit of love to each other. Never in all his years as being a pirate and Jack Sparrow's father did he expect the scar his son was cursed with.

His right hand released from Jack's arm to press his palm against the scar. Was the scar feeling new and in the process of healing, he could apply an ointment he knew to reduce the amount of scar tissue. Tracing the sparrow, he felt smooth skin, the sign of already healed tissue and flesh.

Anger swelled in his eyes and his face set tight. No one harmed his son like this. Whoever he was, he was dead if they ever met.

"Who did this to you?"

"Angelica," replied Jack.

"I beg your pardon," said Teague. He sat up and twisted his pinkies in his ears, clearing the passages. "Who did this to you?"

"Angelica," Jack said again.

"You've been with her what a day?" wondered Teague. "You did not have this mark when you set out to have a discussion with the good Captain."

"If you'll kindly remove your old, bony, poky carcass from my stomach I'll explain," said Jack.

"Oh, right," Teague muttered to himself noticing he was still indeed sitting on Jack.

Unbelievably, he moved limb by limb back to a standing position, first his right leg and then the left. Hands on his back, he moved his torso upward. With a loud crack, he pushed inward with his palms. He released a sigh of relief and went limping, with a hand on his spine, to a comfortable armchair.

"Jackie, remind me again not to go leaping on the floor," he requested.

"I still cannot believe your bones let you do that," said Jack.

"Yes, well now they are telling me not to," added Teague.

Up from the floor now with a slight headache, Jack trudged his way over to his drying coat. He pulled a ring of keys from the right pocket then knelt on the floor in front of a chest. One key was used to open a chest and then another key for another chest and another key for another chest. He pulled a key out of that chest and travelled his way to the other side of the room. With all his might, he pulled a board from the floor and reached his arm into the hole. A glare set upon his face as he went feeling his way down into the small cavern below his floor.

His face brightened up. "Ah ha!" he cried as he procured a small box of some sort.

The key was set into that box and he had another key.

"Jack, you're insane," Teague muttered.

Ignoring him, Jack then went to the desk in his room by the window. The key was set in the lock and the drawer opened. With the tip of his tongue stuck out of his lips, he gingerly reached into the drawer. Both hands cradled an object wrapped in cloth. The cloth was unwrapped and he carefully walked to his father.

Teague looked at the doll then at Jack then back at the doll then at Jack and raised an eyebrow. "A doll? Two hundred keys to protect a doll?"

Sighing heavily, Jack pushed the tunic on the doll downward. "Just a doll?"

The amusement in Teague's eyes vanished quick as the breaths he was breathing. He held a doll that looked like his son and that particular doll just happened to have a few rips forming two chalices, the letter "A", a tear, and a sparrow in the identical form of the scar on his son's chest.

"Blackbeard crafted him," explained Jack. "And it affects me in the hands of anyone, not just the crafter."

Since Jack did turn his back on him and curiosity arose, the same curiosity Jack possessed, Teague's eyes narrowed. He glanced from side to side then pinched the doll's upper right arm.

"Ow-ch!" Jack cried, wrapping his left hand around his right arm. "Give me me back."

He glared at his father and held his doll tightly against himself. Shaking his head he kissed the doll's arm where his arm hurt in the attempt to make it feel better.

"Jack, go to New Orleans. Find Madame Morgane Delacroix. She's good with these things. Who do you think I went to with your mother's head?" said Teague.

"I didn't need to know that," Jack said shuddering.

"I know Angelica. She would never hurt you like this unless it was by her hand. Had she meant to give you that scar she would have done so face to face and with her knife going into your flesh," noted Teague.

"She didn't know," said Jack. "And I may have left her on Rumrunner's Island for ten days after tricking her father into sacrificing his soul for her by drinking from the Fountain of Youth to give her his years."

"No wonder she's trying to kill you," said Teague.

"Considering her and her father were poisoned and only one of them could live because the Fountain is now destroyed by means of the Spanish," added Jack.

"Then you saved her because you love her," noted Teague.

"Actually, it just so happens I chose the lesser of two evils," said Jack then casually added "considering her father was _the_ Edward Teach more commonly known as Blackbeard."

Jack was suddenly shoved against a chair looking into his father's ginormous brown eyes. After the first initial moment of fear, he noticed he could nearly see his reflection in his father's eyes and that he really did have his father's eyes after all. The color he meant not the shape of course. He knew he had his mother's eye shape and soft features.

"Jonathan Galvyn Teague talk," said Teague.

"Uh huh," Jack said while nodding.

"Oh and Jack," began Teague. He moved his hands away from behind Jack's head. "Too late to alter course now Son."

Jack party whined, but mostly screamed at the handful of dreadlocks that were in his father's palms, cut away from the back of his head.

A pirate she was. A woman she was more than a pirate nevertheless. A woman who hadn't had a bath in over a month she especially was. Angelica lay in her jasmine scented water. Sitting in the bathtub in the City, she remembered why she appreciated Shipwreck City. With every intention of bathing, she wandered down familiar halls and with the help from those who lived there of course. Being associated with the Teague family, she was honored to walk their quarter of Shipwreck City and even more privileged to bathe in their private bathing room.

The room was large and not wood. In fact, most of the bathing room was marble flooring. The tub was of marble as well. Only about a foot of the tub was above the flooring. A large rock, the basis of Shipwreck City, was supported below. Around her, sheer red and gold curtains floated in and out of the windows. For a room where people bathed there were three large bay windows and she never understood the surrounding reasons. The room had the appearance of a gazebo with all the windows. French doors were provided to block out the weather if need be. There was no need for the doors that day.

For the first time in so long, Angelica felt herself relaxing. Outside, the Caribbean sun was shining into the sheer curtains causing the room to glow slightly red and gold. It was all so welcoming. There were no pirates to worry about. She didn't have to worry of attempting to save any man's unfortunate soul. Jack was safe with his father. The ship was gone so she didn't have to attend to her duties. Hardly any men were allowed in the Keeper's quarter of the City. The door was locked and her clothes covering both keyholes so temptation could not peek in.

She sighed and slumped more under her water. When she arrived in the room, she found a bath already prepared for her just as she liked it. Jasmine oil had already been poured in. Rose petals were floating on the water. A pillow was beside the tub awaiting her head. Only one person in the world knew how she preferred to bathe.

Jack Sparrow.

Before bathing himself, Jack had taken the time to draw a bath for her. She also made note of the towels and silk robe over a chair awaiting her after her bath. A giggle escaped her as her eyes fell on the flower.

There was but a single rose sitting in a glass vase on the table. A white lace was tied around the stem. When they were teenagers, Jack announced his arrival not with words but with a rose. A single rose with a white lace around the stem signaled his arrival. The stage of the rose was also important to her. A rose in full bloom meant he couldn't have much time with her. A rose that was tight shut before the first bloom meant he was going to be there for a long time.

That rose sitting on the table had yet to open and bloom for the first time. The lace was also of such meaning. When away, there was no white lace for her to admire him by, for that lace was wrapped around his left wrist. Together, the lace was tied around the rose. Apart, the lace was on his wrist. Seeing as the lace was wrapped around the rose stem, they were together.

He loved her. Plain and simple as she loved him, he loved her back. The lace and the rose were a symbol of their love and she had yet to show him her book of dried and pressed rose petals and leaves. Yes, every rose he ever presented to her during their romantic years she dried and pressed. Wherever she went, the book followed until now, seeing as her possessions were on _Queen Anne's Revenge_. No worries passed over her though. Not even Blackbeard found where she hid her most precious treasures, which literally were guarded by a treasure chest.

Shuddering a bit, she looked at her water. Her forefinger led a rose petal around a circle in front of her as she debated whether or not she wanted to leave her bath. The water was cool, but she was comfortable. Which evil was lesser? After another minute, she stood up and allowed the water to drip from her bare body. There was no longer comfort with cold.

Embracing her femininity, she walked from the bathtub to the window with no quick stop at the robe. She let the sun warm her bare feminine body to recall that she was a woman. There was only one place she was comfortable walking around with no clothes and it happened to be the Keeper's Quarter in Shipwreck City. More and more she was realizing the comfort being back in Shipwreck Cove. Everything was secure and comforting. The people that established living in the City were polite and respectful, even the Keeper. For such a devilish, frightening personality, Edward Teague was man who she knew delighted in nothing more than sitting in the sun with a bottle of wine and his guitar. He and Jack were more alike than they ever knew.

Still bare, she sunk on the sofa within the room in the sunlight. To simply not have to bother with clothes to cover her body was a great comfort. The next time she saw Jack she would most definitely have to give her appreciation towards him for the bath and making her feel like a woman again. Of course she wouldn't tell him right with those obvious words. A simple "thank you" would suffice. She couldn't have Jack knowing how much she appreciated him; he might use her again. She wasn't ready to give her heart to Jack again. In time perhaps that day would come, but not now and she knew Jack felt the same.

After quite some time of simply laying in the sunlight embracing the warmth, Angelica did wrap herself in that silk robe and wander down to the room Teague was allowing for her stay. Again, it was part of the Keeper's Quarter and once belonged to the wife of the Keeper himself. She always found it odd that she was given Aisling Teague's room. Since she was a teenager, both Jack and Teague insisted it belonged to her, Teague more than Jack. The Keeper himself never spoke of why it belonged to her, but she had a feeling it had something to do with her being a female close to Jack Sparrow.

Both a dress and tunic and breeches were laid out on the bed. The dress was simple and single layered colored in a shade bluer than slate. Floor length skirt with white underlay attached to the corset style bodice. Brown colored thick cording tied the bodice to the person in front. Unlike what she was used to, the neck was a swoop neck and did not appear to fall low against her chest. The sleeves began very well near off her shoulders and ended gently past the elbow. Altogether, it was a modest dress for a common girl. She tilted her head and held up the dress.

Both Angelica and the dress walked to the full facing mirror. She held out her arm so the sleeves followed as if she was wearing the dress.

"Nah," she said to herself and let the feminine contraption fall to the floor.

Like she was used to, she dressed herself in the breeches and tunic. A smirk widened across her face as she tucked the tunic into her breeches. Gentle ruffles lined the neck of the tunic, ultimately forcing her to give in to the feminine touch. Most likely provided by Teague, she fastened the light blue gentle corset to her torso. She ran a comb through her hair a few times then walked out barefooted.

It was not long before Teague himself was approaching from the opposite direction. He looked at her then flattened the sleeves.

"You look good Hija Gorrión," he noted. "And I told Jackie you wouldn't wear the dress."

"No, not yet," said Angelica shaking her head.

"Your presence is requested on the docks by one Captain Turner. He has the ship Jack wanted," said Teague.

Angelica gave a nod of her head and continued on her walk through the city of ships. Although she knew it was not proper for her to leave someone as him waiting long, she could no longer the hunger pains in her stomach any longer. More and more she was discovering how mortal she was for being immortal. There was no difference between immortal and mortal save for the extra few years and, of course, the fact immortal couldn't be killed by a mortal weapon. Nothing significant.

With her fresh pork sandwich, she walked outside the fortress walls and smiled at the sight she saw.

Young Captain Turner sat on the dock playing with the dog Teague named Louie. For once, the keys were on the wooden dock and Louie was fetching a bone. Will held the bone high in the air and Louie jumped up and down while barking. For a few more minutes, Will teased the dog then gave him the bone. Grateful, Louie rubbed against Will and the young man began rubbing and scratching him all over.

She smiled sadly. In her eyes, she saw someone who was bearing more than he could handle, a man who just came out of his childhood. Only a person who had an everlasting childhood would have played with a dog like that and been so engaged with the dog's emotions. He was handsome, yet tragic. He looked so very lonely and young. Fate chose rightly, but she still thought it wasn't fair.

The sound of someone inhaling deeply tingled her ear.

"You smell good," Jack's voice whispered.

"I appreciate the bath," said Angelica simply.

"You needed it more than I did," said Jack.

While she turned to the left, Jack walked to the right of her. Seeing no one behind her, she turned again. The expression on Will's face matched hers as well.

Jack looked between Angelica and Will several times then shrugged. "Wot?"

"Yeah, you won't have to worry about the posters," noted Will.

Grumbling, Jack ran his clean hands from his forehead down to his sleek ponytail at the nape of his neck. His dark hair was combed back into that ponytail. The gentle curls flowed down to the beginning of his ribcage from the red tie that secured it in place. His once beaded goatee was shaved away, but the rest of his facial hair remained the same. Now that the beads and dreadlocks were no longer hiding his face, the high cheekbones were more visible causing his appearance to look sleeker. His non-kohl lined eyes were smaller and blended in with the rest of him. A golden brown gazed out from the orbs rather than the dark chestnut. Without the bandana, his few scars and war wounds from the past were exposed on his forehead, one in particular was the reason he wore the bandana at all times. His left ear did gleam with three silver hoops as well as the right.

Wholly, his appearance was cleaner. There was no dirt or grime giving him age of the sea. He was clean and his tanned glowed off of his skin. Literally, he had the appearance of bronze. His clothes were unbelievably simple. Rather than the brown knee high boots, he was now wearing black boots that were smaller in appearance and came nearly to his knee. The breeches were a dark, caramel brown. In Jack Sparrow form, his ivory tunic was rolled to his sleeves. In un-Jack Sparrow like form, he was wearing a sage colored waistcoat that buttoned in the front. There was a belt at his hipline securing the cloth to his person, but even that was done in a normal manner. All but the first two silver buttons connected together. Because of the connected buttons, his small frame was completely exposed by the form fitting cloth, reminding both of them just how small of a man he was. Only his collar bone and perhaps an inch or two below that was exposed, concealing the scar.

No beads were gleaming. No faded red bandana. No kohl. No deer bone. No knick knacks. Only two rings per each hand. No sashes. No hat. A thick, leather band bracelet was fastened around his right wrist concealing the brand. No compass hanging from his belt. No sword. No pistol. No braids. No coat.

To put it simply: no Jack Sparrow.

Standing between them was a man who looked of discomfort and fright. He did not know who he was. Instead of schemes in his eyes, sadness poured out of them. The gold tooth smile was not bright; there was no gold tooth smile. Bright eyes were low. Face was slumped. Once proudly standing shoulders were drooped. The huge image that was Jack Sparrow was now John Teague, a man as common as the name John.

"Are you done staring yet?" Jack asked.

Angelica approached him. She looked him up and down.

"Well?" wondered Jack. He did a small circle with his arms out. "What do you think?"

"Honestly?" asked Angelica.

"I usually don't like honesty, but I've come to learn to it's not a bad thing," said Jack.

Exhaling, Angelica set her palms on Jack chest. "I see the teenager who happened to run into a Spanish convent ducking for cover and using me as his guide because I was the first he saw. I see the teenager who first kissed me as a thank you for hiding him for an hour. I see the teenager who caused me to question my faith and place in the world. I see the teenager who kidnapped me from the Convent and showed me the world and taught me all he knew. I see the teenager who eventually became the man who proposed to me. Most of all, I see the man who broke my heart and turned it cold."

"You're welcome again," said Jack with a smile.

Angelica set her palm against his cheek. "I also see the teenager I loved and the man I wanted to spend my life with." She brushed her fingers across his lips and felt him gently kiss them. Immediately, she pulled her hand away and took a step back. "Yet, I know looks are deceiving," she added coldly then turned to Will once again no allowing Jack so speak. "You have the ship then?"

"Hm?" wondered Will, turning his attention to her.

"The ship? You have the ship?" Angelica asked again.

Will stood and motioned to the ship in front of him. "The _Tristan_."

"Jack, are you sure this isn't the _Black Pearl_?" asked Angelica.

"Ah, solved the riddle to the immortal battle between captains of my _Pearl_ did you?" said Jack as he stepped forward.

"Enlighten those of us who don't know," said Will.

"This ship and the _Black Pearl_ have but three differences," explained Jack. He raised a finger. "One: this ship does not have black sails. Two: it is but three yards smaller in length and a yard shorter in breadth than my ship. Three: this ship was once commissioned, christened, captained, and passed on by Rhiannon Barbossa who just happened to be Hector Barbossa older sister."

"Explain," said Will.

Jack sat on a barrel randomly placed on the dock and folded his arms across his chest. "Rhiannon Barbossa was four years older than dear Hector. I personally never knew her, but I heard enough stories about her. She was a fearsome woman worthy of Ireland's Granuaile O'Malley, but Rhia didn't have the favor of England's ruler. She and Hector were orphaned when she was fifteen and he eleven. It was now her duty to continue ruling the Caspian Sea and teaching her younger brother all he would need to know. Years passed and one day, Rhiannon gave dear Hector a wooden eye. She did not tell him what it was for, but that he must always keep it with him and never lose it. She presented him with the ship _Tristan_ and recorded his name in the logbook as Captain Hector Barbossa. After telling dear little brother she had business in the Colonies, she left. Word eventually spread that Rhiannon Barbossa was captured by the Royal Navy. Following a trial, she was hanged at the Execution Docks in merry old London. Her body was one of those misfortunates left out to hang, a warning to all women that being indeed female does not spare them from crimes against the crown.

"After hearing of his sister's death, sixteen year old Hector set out to destroy the man who caught her. He neither caught the man, nor was he able to keep his ship. He watched as his sister's ship, the only item left of his family and past, sink beneath the waves. On that day, rumor has it from the drunken fool himself who told me this story, he vowed to hunt down the man who murdered his sister after abusing her on that ship. When he met me, he saw the _Black Pearl_ as the closest ship he would have to seeking his ultimate revenge. Thus, our eternal battle. I never did ask him if he killed the man, but all I know is that he's still thinking the _Pearl_ is his.

"This genius mind of Jack Sparrow in the body of John Teague will sail _Tristan_ right to _Queen Anne's Revenge_. And when I get there I will say these exact words. "Hector, I propose and exchange. You leave on your ship and let Angelica take command on her ship, just as long as I get the sword and I leave on my ship and the _Black Pearl_ is established once and for all as mine." Because it's his sister's ship and the reason my ship was never my ship, he won't be able to refuse me."

"Your compass for the ship. The ship for the compass," reminded Will.

Jack's eyes narrowed and appeared as dark as they would have with the kohl. The lips moved upward and the gold shined through them. He pointed a finger at Will. "Exactly. When I get my compass, he gets to watch his ship once again sink beneath the waves. If he wants his ship, he can square a deal with you."

"And if he chooses not to square a deal and continue fighting for rights to the _Black Pearl_?" wondered Will.

"If he is within eyesight of my ship, he'll find a bullet piercing his heart," Jack said, ending in a hard "t" sound. "There will be no more fighting after this. I'll see him dead before he sets foot on my ship again. He'll give me anything I want to sail _Tristan_ and then he'll suffer as I have when he watches the ship vanish before his eyes. Revenge is served best cold and straight to the heart."

"Jack, you scare me sometime," noted Will. "You should look at the color of your eyes. It's a good thing there is no kohl around them or I think I'd be seeing the Devil himself smiling out of them."

"Jack this is wrong. Be the better man. Do not pass the suffering onto him," said Angelica, pleading and prayer in her voice.

"Angelica, know this now," Jack said standing and having the appearance he was twice as tall as he was. "There is one soul and only one that goes between me and my ship and you are not that soul."

Angelica nodded her head firmly. She had to lower her eyes and squeeze them shut. For a moment there all she saw was Blackbeard before condemning another innocent soul to death. Angry Jack was nearly as bad as angry Blackbeard. Nearly only because Jack was easier turned back than Blackbeard, yet she was seriously reconsidering that thought.

"Oh and Jack, one more thing," said Will.

"What?" Jack snapped.

"If you need to hide while in the Bahamas for some reason, Isla del Sol. You'll find someone wanting to say hello again and another to meet you," said Will.

"And who may I ask are they?" wondered Jack.

Will stood and threw the keys to the _Tristan_ against Jack. "Let's just say Mrs. Turner and four year old Wills Turner."

The young captain only held off leaving just long enough to watch the caramel flow back into Jack's eyes as they widened once realization came to him. With the gold tooth grin of one happy, proud Jack Sparrow back in his mind, Will walked from the dock and onto his ship outside the Cove with a single stride

Jack softly laughed to himself as she shook his head in disbelief. Will Turner a father. He always knew what the two of them did on that one day long ago. Unfortunately, having a child meant Will wasn't a eunuch after all so that play was dead. He was a whelp though, and he always would be a whelp.

"Well, my father said he would graciously provide me with a handful of crewmen to get me started. It just so happens he had need for a few products in the Colonies and I will provide the means of getting is men there," Jack said, resuming the current situation. "Oh, and he said he'd provide us with provisions to get started and then we are on our own."

"It's a start," admitted Angelica.

"'Course it is," said Jack. He grabbed her hand and began pulling her along. "And we have one more thing that must be taken care of before we set out on our way tomorrow morning."

The witty pirate led the fair lady through the fortress and back into the Keeper's Quarter. Naturally, he took her down the same hall of the Keeper's Quarters. Whereas Teague took the path to the right, Jack took her down to the left. Unlike before, years ago, when Jack opened his door he required three locks to be matched with their keys; this time Jack merely pushed the door open and walked in.

She wanted to say a smart comment about it finally being time he was not afraid of his father, but knowing Jack, he would come right back at her with his own smart comment and the two of them would once again go off and nothing would be accomplished.

She was sat on Jack's sofa and two fingers motioned her to stay put there. In the meantime of Jack's wandering about the room, she took a glance. Nope, nothing had changed. Walls were still nailed with the same overabundance of maps and charts. Subtle colors of blue and green were in accents of all sorts including blankets, pillows, and curtains. Coats were strewn about on various chairs. An entire pile of clothes was in the process of being placed in a chest to set sail with the _Tristan_ on the morrow. Half the clothes were in the chest and the other half was on the floor in neat little piles. Another chest was beside the clothing chest. Because it was open, she saw the various maps, charts, and navigation instruments piled to capacity inside. Around the room, everything had its own place of belonging. Nothing was strewn about.

When she first met Jack, she figured he was all talk and looks. He knew he was handsome and attractive to women. His flamboyant personality presented the impression that thought himself the greatest man to walk the Earth. His knick knacks and unnecessary kohl especially gave her the impression he was not worth her time. She once thought him disgusting, disorganized, and mentally insane.

Although she still found him a bit insane in the head, he was the cleanliest, most organized man she met. Everything had a place and belonged in that place. His ship was the same. Colors coordinated. Blankets were folded. The bed was always made. Chairs were tucked under the table.

A doll was shoved in her face casing her thoughts to stray and a small gasp to escape her lips. She noted it was Jack's voodoo doll and looked up at him.

Jack was holding the doll out to her with low eyes. "Angelica, I have no idea what possessed me to come to this conclusion; you are the only person I trust with this doll. I will not keep it with me, for the concept is the same as the key and a lock. I am the lock and this doll is the key to my undoing. If we are ever separated or have need to separate, both lock and key will not be together. Seeing as you are a woman helpless to man's dominance and ideals, no one will expect you to carry a heavy burden."

"I don't trust myself," said Angelica.

"And that is why I trust you luv. I literally trust you with my life," said Jack, forcing the doll into the palms of her hands.

Both of them looked down at their hands. The doll was clasped between both of her palms and his palms were over hers, gently cupping them. For a brief moment, there was a spark ignited between the palms that flowed from the hands to the heart. Such warmth was radiating from their hands. Since their reunion, they had touched several times but there was something about holding hands like they were that made that time different.

Jack looked like the young man she fell in love with. His immortal demeanor was washed away with the soap and oils that changed his appearance. He lost half his years in age. He lost himself when he was changed. Not just appearance was changed. Jack Sparrow himself was changed. She only saw the young man she was nearly marrying, the young man who kidnapped her from her dull life in the Convent and showed her the world.

Angelica looked like she always had, only lonelier as the years passed. Age was kind to her, as she had the same appearance from when she was a teenager. Her angelic features were soft and glowing like always. She was darker and lonelier, just like him.

Taking a chance, a very large, risky chance, Jack leaned his head forward toward hers. Before allowing her to have time to pull away or move, he pressed his lips against her cheek.

"For the record," he said quickly as if to not allow her mind to process the small kiss to her cheek. "My father said he was flattered, but would never allow you to crawl in bed with him."

"I only said it to upset you," said Angelica honestly. "Although, I wonder how many women you've allowed in your bed."

"Technically it was their beds," said Jack with a raised finger then immediately left before she had time to put her devilish eyes to her hand and smack him a good one.

With Jack Sparrow gone, Angelica breathed again. He always did take her breath away from him and he was the only one at that. She allowed her tense body to relax. A sneaky smile widened across her face. Two fingers moved to her right cheek where she could still feel his lips on her flesh. It was childish of her to think, yet she felt she never wanted to wash that cheek again. There was more love built up in Jack than she thought. A rose. A bath. The lace. And now a kiss on the cheek.

Returning the favor in a different form, Angelica kissed the doll's face. She knew Jack may or may not have felt that, but it didn't matter. She was content holding the doll and finally telling herself it might be right to let him back in her life. Might.

Meanwhile, Jack was standing in a doorway watching a seven year old girl play on the floor. Her dark hair was halfway braided behind her head, most of it having fallen out. The red and cream dress was wrinkled unimaginably. She was quite a bit dirty, but the sand on the floor answered why. Her caramel brown eyes glowed as she brought two wooden ships together on the floor. When standing, her head came to his chest. Her skin was shining in the sunlight. The giggle, the most angelic sound on Earth, warmed his heart.

All at once and feeling like she was being watched, the girl raised her head. She spent half a minute on one single gasp as her eyes widened and a smile glittered her face. Overwhelmed with joy, she dropped the ships on the floor and came running to him.

"Daddy!" she cried.

Jack smiled and knelt down to take her into his arms. One hand was below her little bottom and the other was around her back. Her arms were squeezing his neck. He nuzzled his cheek into her forehead. "Hello Lily."

"You don't look like Daddy," Lily noted.

"I assure you I feel like your Daddy," said Jack.

"Ships?" wondered Lily, pushing from his body.

"Of course," replied Jack.

He stepped forward to her several ships and set her down. Of course, like always, he was presented with a ship that had sails painted black. "What story this time?"

"Um," said Lily, twisting back and forth and lingering on the "m".

"How about a new one?" suggested Jack. "The search for the Sword of Cortés."

"Okay!" cried Lily.

The two were lying on their stomachs on the floor in the sunlight with several toy ships surrounding them. As custom when playing ships, Jack had to have a hat on his head since he was always the captain. Lily fastened her wooden sword at her side. Sound effects and narration included, the two of them invented the story for the search for the Sword of Cortés_._ The journey took them around the entire world with mystery, betrayal, sacrifices, and a surprise ending.

"And Daddy, you die by the sword of the evil Spanish King," said Lily, jabbing his sword in his stomach.

Jack shrugged his shoulders humoring her idea. He fell dramatically onto his back after an incredibly dramatic walk about the room with the sword in his stomach and was sure to have his feet bounce off the floor. "Lily," he called, pretending his voice was weakening. "Look after Lily. Take care of her. I love you my Princess."

"Daddy die," Lily demanded.

"Anxious aren't we," Jack said out of character and displeased, pressing his elbows against the floor and lifting his torso.

"Daddy!" Lily demanded in a whining tone as she pushed against his chest.

"All right, all right I'm dead," said Jack. With a heavy sigh, he altogether fell flat on his back a little too hard. "Ow," he muttered under his breath.

Lily giggled. "And the Spanish Princess cries and pleads and begs and she thinks there is nothing she can do because you're already dead. But then, the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_, the best man, most kindest, most heartest with or without a heart tells her only a kiss of true love can save him. So, with true love in her heart, the Spanish Princess kisses him." Lily bent down to kiss her father's nose. "And then you come back to life."

"I like that," said Jack, opening his eyes with a smile.

"Of course you do. Love always saves people," said Lily.

"Nearly always," said Jack with a warning tone in his voice. "And then me and the Spanish Princess live happily ever after I suppose."

"After they get married," said Lily. "Every fairy tale ends happily ever after after the Princess marries her prince."

Jack nodded his head. That was a true fairy tale ending there and Lily heard enough of them between him and his father. He was pushed back down by Lily so she could lay her head on his chest and wrap her arms around his torso. Jack patted her back then left both arms around her small body.

"Daddy, who is she? She looks like a Spanish Princess," said Lily.

No, no, no. Jack shut his eyes for a moment, hoping it wasn't he person he was thinking. He was somehow hoping there was another Spanish woman wandering about the City. It was a City with several men. Surely one of them had to have a Spanish woman with him. Hopefully.

He opened his right eye and looked toward the door. "Angelica. Her name is Angelica."

"Oh, I'm Lily," said Lily politely with her head in the air then set it back on Jack's chest before continuing. "And this is my Daddy who smells really good and looks really handsome."

"Lily-Rose," Jack whispered with a slightly scolding tone.

"Well you do," stated Lily.

"Jack, is there something you want to tell me?" wondered Angelica, biting down every word.

"Remember the girl I was telling you about who I said I was her father?" asked Jack.

"This is her I would assume," said Angelica.

"She is my daughter," said Jack.

"You said that," reminded Angelica.

Jack shook his head. "I told you I would use it someday. Angelica, I lied to you by telling you the truth. She is my legit daughter as in beget by as in man, woman in bed one night as in three months after Anamaria and I started our fling together she told me she was with child as in my child as in she is the only person who comes between me and the _Black Pearl_ as in I couldn't survive if I lost her as in the only woman I will love with all my heart forever."

"I love you too Daddy," whispered Lily, squeezing her arms tighter around her father.

Angelica merely looked down at the two of them. Words were forming on her lips, yet none of them came out. Her fiery temper was flaring in her eyes. What could she say? Jack Sparrow had a daughter who he was in love with. Jack Sparrow had a daughter! "Oh," was all she managed to come from her mouth.

Jack's reply was merely shrugging his shoulders and lifting his palms off of his daughter's back.

"You," began Angelica, stepping forward with a firm finger. Knowing there was a child in the room and her words very inappropriate, she turned on her heels and walked down the hall.

Father and daughter could hear the language of Spanish flaring down the hall.

"I think she's angry," Lily whispered to her father.

"I _know_ she's angry," Jack told her.

He looked at the door where Angelica was just standing. There was a lot about him he had yet to tell her, but at least the worst and best of it was out of the way. Now all that was left was to somehow keep her from cutting into the doll again.

Jack's eyes widened as he choked on his breath. He gently pushed his daughter from him and rushed out the room. "Angelica, don't touch me!" he hollered.

Knowing her father was overreacting about something, Lily chased after him while calling for him to wait for her. Even she knew when her father was running down the hall flailing his arms and calling someone's name something good was going to happen. It was times like that when she knew she had the best father in the world. He loved her more than anything and life was never boring when he was there.

Finally, Lily caught up with her father. He and the woman named Angelica were yelling and arguing with each other in the language she knew as Spanish. She knew her father spoke some Spanish, but didn't know he spoke Spanish well enough to argue in it. Walking forward to ask them what they were saying, she saw something that caught her eyes.

There in front of her feet was a doll that looked just like what her father used to look like. Knowing it had to belong to one of the two of them, a troublesome grin widened across her face. She stretched her arms above her head and then went down to touch her toes, only she wasn't touching her toes at all. She grabbed the doll and whipped around. Skipping like any normal seven year old girl did on a day to day basis, she returned to her room.

Usually she didn't like to play tea party with her dolls, but she simply couldn't resist. It wasn't everyday she could make her father attend a tea party so the doll would just have to do.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**reviews, as always, much appreciated of course!**

**so, the little girl is Jack's real, legit daughter after all (i've got Lily in several of my other stories and she'll come in key to this later). Anamaria and Jack were just a fling, and more of their story will be shared. **

**really, i've got nothing more to say here so i'll let you do all the saying. savvy?  
><strong>

**Happy Readings!**


	5. Tea Party

**XXX Tea Party XXX**

Their persistent arguing ended as quickly as it began. Quite simply, Jack forearms wrapped around his belly as he collapsed to his knees. Once hating him for everything he had ever done and then suddenly fearing for his life, Angelia cried his name and rushed to his side. She grabbed his face between her palms forcing him to look into her eyes as he struggled to breathe.

Not long was it before Jack realized the doll that should have formerly been behind him was no longer there. He remembered a little girl following him and chasing after his name. Though he was arguing with Angelica, he kept an eye on Lily who was right there just a second ago where the doll should have been. Lily was gone and so was the doll. He usually didn't like going with his gut instinct when it came to matters with his life, yet he knew that matter he was going to be right.

Mostly being carried by Angelica, Jack trudged through Shipwreck City cursing at his misfortunate circumstances. All the while, he continued to feel his lungs crushing in on themselves. Angelica was more concerned with keeping her laughter concealed than she was of Jack Sparrow's current dilemma. It was quite a hilarious sight if any did happen upon them. Jack's arm was around her neck and her arms were under his shoulders. His one arm was around his chest as if that what helping. His feet were tripping back and forth because of his lack of air and he kept falling into her and grabbing her wherever he could to keep himself on his own two feet. There were moments she felt he was doing it on purpose simply so he could get his hands on her body in a manner she would usually slap him for. The absurdity of it was simply hilarious and entertaining.

When they did stumble back into Lily's room she was dancing around the room with something tightly against her chest. Both the adults saw enough brief flashes of the hair and colors to know she was squeezing the doll as she was dancing around the room.

"Lily," Angelica said softly and sweetly.

Startled and knowing she had something she shouldn't, Lily whipped toward them with both arms behind her back and the doll between her fists.

Angelica let Jack fall into a chair at the tea table and he simply slumped onto the plate. "I know you have the doll child. Can you give it back to Jack please?"

"Daddy doesn't play with dolls. He's a boy," said Lily.

"Well, Jack likes this doll," said Angelica.

Lily's face twisted into a ridiculous expression. Her lips pursed and forehead wrinkled. Just like her father when puzzled, her head tilted to the side. "Daddy plays with dolls? He's crazier than everyone tells me."

"Am not," Jack said from his plate.

"Parley!" cried Lily. "I'll make a deal. You can have your doll back," she said giggling. "After you have a tea party with me."

"Fine," Jack groaned.

"And you have to wear proper clothes and look like a noble of England. That means you have to wear stockings and the gold buckle shoes and a proper coat."

"Absolutely not!" Jack cried lifting his head from the plate. "Will you let go of the doll."

"No!" Lily cried.

"Let go!" demanded Angelica.

"No!" Lily cried, running around the room.

"Give me tha—" began Angelica then began chasing after her.

Between Angelica shouting in Spanish and Lily running around the tea table yelling "no" repeatedly and Jack's attempts to grab the doll when she passed by, one Edward Teague simply had to wander down the hall to observe the scene at hand. He leaned in the doorway, one ankle crossed over the other and his arms folded across his chest.

Spotting him first, Lily ran over to her grandfather and hid behind his legs. "Grandfather Teague, tell them to stop," she pleaded.

"And what are they doing may I inquire?" wondered Teague.

"She is squeezing the doll!" cried Angelica.

"Daddy doesn't play with dolls," said Lily.

Teague turned his body to the child and knelt. "Lily, give me the doll. This doll is very special to your father. No, thank God he doesn't play with dolls, but he needs this doll. It's like his favorite toy. He's always got to have it with him."

"I want it," said Lily.

"Why?" wondered Teague.

"Because Daddy's not around anymore and I want him to be with me," replied Lily.

Hearing that, Jack lifted his head from the plate. He breathed in deeply finally, noticing Lily's grip on the doll loosened and the doll was merely being held by his arm in her palm. "Come here Lily," he said.

Lily sighed and walked over to her father. She stood in front of him with her head down and eyes sad.

Jack took her little body into his arms and set her in his lap, her legs hanging off of his and her side against his torso. He gently wrapped her arms around the doll then cuddled her into his arms. Slowly, he rocked from side to side. "I know I've not been a very good father. A lot has happened not even I intended. I know life has gotten smaller since your mother died and I know I've not been there. I can't be there for you just yet Lily-Rose. There is one more task on this pirate's record that he must square before you and I can be together always."

"How long is it going to be?" wondered Lily.

"I don't know. It depends on the journey. Once I am at my destinations everything will be simple as simple can be," said Jack.

"Father," Lily began, her tone very clear and serious. She moved her head away from his shoulder to look him in the eye. "Simple is never simple when simple is used to describe something you have to do."

With not even an idea of a retort forming in his head, Jack nodded. He knew that was one battle Lily won because she was everything he was and that was something he would have said to himself was he speaking to himself.

Knowing she won the battle, Lily smirked.

Wiping that smirk from her face, Jack pressed his thumb and his forefinger on her puffy cheeks to push the smile back together. When her grin became a frown, Lily whined. Laughing softly, Jack held her tighter and kissed her head.

"Now, I'll have a tea party with you as long as I can wear this. I look nobleman enough in comparison to what I should look like," said Jack.

"I suppose," Lily sighed with an over exaggerated manner.

"Can I have the doll now please?" wondered Jack.

"Since you said please," said Lily, giving up the doll to her father's palm.

"Good girl," said Jack, moving his hand with the doll behind his back and waiting for there to be nothing in his palm before he moved his hand back to his daughter.

Both Jack and Teague glanced to Angelica who nodded to the arm that was behind her back.

"Grandfather and the Spanish Princess have to attend tea too," demanded Lily. "And they have to look noble too so she has to wear a dress and Grandfather has to put on his gold coat."

"She's fine," Jack insisted. "The Spanish Princess in our story never wore a dress but at her wedding remember?"

"But I think she would look really pretty in a dress," said Lily, looking right at Angelica.

"Never was one for dresses," admitted Angelica as she sat at the table.

"I'm too old to be wandering down the hall to get a coat and this old body hasn't moved like it did today in years," said Teague, gingerly sitting himself in the chair beside Lily and Angelica.

The four of them looked at each other oddly for some reason until Lily pointed out that she had only the plates for cakes and the tea set. None of it was prepared for an actual tea party.

By nomination from Teague, Jack and Angelica were to fetch the food while he entertained Lily for a while. The two companions headed down to the kitchens and Jack opened the tea cupboard. Although the Teagues were pirates and pirates with a reputation as the fiercest most cunning on the sea, they were people nonetheless. The tea cupboard was a ten shelf hole in the wall. Each shelf was as wide as Jack's arms outstretched from side to side and as tall as his hand from wrist to fingertip. Teas from around the world were assorted throughout in an orderly manner of course.

In the mood for a little vanilla, he grabbed a Chai Tea. "Do you drink Chai Tea?"

"What's that?" wondered Angelica.

"It be a tea from India. Sri Sumbajee got my father and me on it. It is a thicker tea in taste and liquid. Vanilla chai to be exact," explained Jack.

"Never had it," said Angelica.

"Oh, well, won't have to worry about you or Lily then because she doesn't drink tea. She has tea parties but doesn't drink tea," noted Jack.

"She's a child, a girl. Tea parties are expected for young girls," said Angelica.

"Normal girls," said Jack, guiltily. "Lily is anything but normal. Lily isn't even meant to be."

"But she must," said Angelica. "You love her more than the _Pearl_. Now I understand that she is the only thing that goes between you and your ship."

"Angelica, you're a female," said Jack unusually cheery-like. "You had a father and no mother. Well, you had a father long enough. What if your father and your grandfather couldn't take care of you and so you had to be left with friends of your father's until your father finished all that he had to finish before he could be your father and all you wanted was your father. Would you be angry?"

"You're leaving your daughter with friends of yours?" assumed Angelica.

"Look, it's not what I want either," said Jack, enunciating every word quite clearly so as to avoid another fight. "My father has to do Keeper work and he can't be bothered while doing it. Summing it up to those who have no idea what it is to be Keeper, it's the most important duty as Keeper of the Code. The records from all the Seas are brought in and every word has to be read and certain worthy words are written down in the Code and new Lords or family members must be recorded as well as any major battles or sightings of something or another. It's much too difficult work to be keeping an eye and both ears out for a seven year old. Lily is me in young female form. My father and I are the only two who know how to handle her as well as the person I'm intending to leave her with. This island is in the Bahamas and right on our way to Carolina out East an extra day, but not enough to get us sidetracked."

"Do you trust this person with your daughter?" wondered Angelica.

Jack smiled. "Absolutely. It'll be good looking after a girl for a change. I'm sure her four year old son is giving her hell if he's anything like his father."

"At least it is a female you intend to leave your daughter with," noted Angelica. "And I must admit she's quite a girl for being with men all this time."

"My father keeps her as girly as he can, yet teaching her how to defend herself," said Jack.

"And, may I ask, what are you going to do when she decides one day she wants a mother?" wondered Angelica.

The Heavens above blessing him, Jack turned and attending his whistling tea kettle. That was the last question he wanted to answer for another person. He couldn't even answer it for himself. Lily _would_ one day need a mother in her life. When she passed that childhood mark and became a teenager, she was going to need a mother something fierce. Yes, he knew about monthly feminine issues and babies and boyfriends, but if he had to explain it all to his daughter that was going to be not only awkward but embarrassing. What girl wanted to talk to her father about her boyfriends? Keeping her father unaware of wandering male eyes was the idea after all.

Once she had a boyfriend then she would be engaged and then married and then having children of her own and then her children would be having children. Jack shuddered at the very idea that the seven year old love of his life was growing up right before his eyes without him. Would she one day reject him because he was so little in her past? What was she going to do when she one day asked what happened to her mother? How was he going to explain that? For now, all she knew was that her mother and father were struck ill suddenly and her mother died. For a seven year old, that was passing. But, when she reached seventeen, she would want to know the truth to her mother's death and why her father was never around when she was a child. The world didn't know Jack Sparrow had a daughter. Only those in Shipwreck City possessed the knowledge and the other two were on a ship hardly on Earth and the last two were going to be with him at all times.

As Jack collected the tea kettle and cups onto the tray, he sighed. The more he thought about his daughter, the more he wanted to take her on his quest for the Sword of Cortés. He was seven years old once and having grand adventures with his father on the sea. Why couldn't she? He knew she would be safe where he was taking her, but she would be safer under his watchful eyes because they were his eyes. When he brought the very issue up with his father, he was told to let her be on the island away from him. Considerable danger was involved with the tasks at hand and if he was to accomplish them with his life in the end, he couldn't be worrying about his daughter. The very problem was that he would worry for Lily no matter what. Under his eyes or under the eyes of another, he was going to worry. His daughter was his life and if anything happened to her he would no longer need life.

Hearing that giggle as he approached her room, Jack sighed. He didn't know what to do anymore with her. She was at that age where she was old enough to come with him, yet young enough to need constant watch yet. Perhaps, he needed the female opinion of a mother herself so going to the island in the middle of the Bahamas was a guarantee no matter the circumstances around him.

Both the tray and Jack sat at the table. Like a proper English gentleman as requested by his daughter, Jack sat with his back straight as he poured the tea. One hand was on the handle and the other was gently supporting the spout. Four cups of tea were distributed, knowing either he or his father would drink Lily's, but it was customary to pour the tea.

"Will that be one lumps or two good sir?" Jack asked his father in the most prim, clipped English accent with his nose up in the air a bit.

"Jonathan, you should know better by now Son. Shame, shame. Honey accompanies Chai Tea, not sugar," replied Teague, playing along with Jack's perfect gentleman stature.

"Oh yes, my mistake. My apologies," said Jack.

The young man held out his hand toward his father. Scolding his son, Teague tapped his fingers on Jack's hand with a slap.

"Ow," Jack muttered under his breath, breaking character for a moment to nurse his hand.

"I shall take one half teaspoon of honey thank you," announced Lily.

"The last I made my inquiries you had no desire for tea," noted Jack.

"I may like it," said Lily.

"Very well then," said Jack.

Daintily, he took the spoon beside the small jar of honey and dipped the metal scoop halfway into the thick, sweet liquid. Both spoon and honey were stirred gently in the teacup. All proper, he gently tapped the side of the cup and then wiped the spoon with a napkin. Administering his own flavoring, he tapped a bit of cinnamon to his tea. His napkin was set in his lap. He raised the teacup, with the tea plate below, to his lips. Pinky stuck high in the air, he sipped softly. Before he wiped his face, he set the cup and plate on the table again.

"I say, did you see Fitzwilliam the previous day?" he asked, his attention on his father.

"That rich snob of a spy from your days on the _Barnacle_?" wondered Teague.

"Indeed," said Jack.

"And what, pray tell, has he got that pompous nose into now?" asked Teague.

"He was parading through the streets just three days past. That pompous nose of his was held high in the air. Why, he walks on this Earth like he was sent from above," said Jack.

"Nope, that's me," said Lily, pointing to herself.

"And speaking of Lily," began Teague, he gently slapped his hand on the table for emphasis then pointed at Jack. "I know just where to get her a lovely green dress."

"As do I," said Jack.

Lily's eyes widened as a smile grew on her face. She inhaled deeply and looked between them. "Really? You're going to get me a green dress?"

"Now I know it inappropriate, however, I see fit for you to have a sword M'lady, a real one. I had one since I could walk and I see fit you begin learn," said Jack.

"Jonathan!" Teague cried exasperated. His palm was against his chest. "Are you trying to cause quite a scandal? A seven year old girl with a sword? Unheard of!"

"I know," said Jack, emphasizing himself with a tap on his chest. "But I want to ensure my daughter be safe from any wandering male eyes. You know men in this day and age: they see a young woman, a girl and their hearts are set."

His last few words were not directed to his daughter at all. His eyes, voice, and attention was on Angelica, into her eyes. He gave her a subtle nod of the head then continued back with his conversation with his father.

Discreetly rolling her eyes, Angelica slumped. She sipped her tea, which she did find rather satisfying. Watching the three way conversation brought a smile to her lips. The three of them were a broken family, a very broken happy family. Lily was the life that brought them together. She was sure Lily's birth brought Jack and his father together. Both of them loved her. Their playing proper English gentleman was proof of that. Jack didn't play that part often and he only did it when it benefitted him in some form.

"Angelica, why are you not playing with us?" asked Lily.

"I don't—I've never—I," Angelica attempted to say.

"She never was allowed to play games when she was a child. She didn't have parents. Her father didn't know she existed until recently and her mother died of Spanish Influenza when she was just a little girl about your age. Since she was an orphan, she was raised in a Spanish Convent where I met and took her on the adventure of her life," explained Jack.

Lily sighed heavily. "That's so romantic."

"You are such girl," muttered Jack.

"I heard that Daddy and yes, I am a girl thank you very much. Daddy, why do you want that doll so badly? Honestly. It's not right. Boys don't play with dolls," said Lily, persistently reminding him she wanted that doll.

"It's a gift for Angelica and you stole it from me," replied Jack.

"So you gave Angelica a doll that looks like you to play with?" wondered Lily.

"Aye," replied Jack.

"You two are together so she can play with you personally," said Lily.

Beside his granddaughter, Teague was right in the middle of drinking his tea when he heard those words. Being a man who knew his son's relationship with the Seville Spanish lady and his thoughts for her, he partly choked and partly inhaled the hot liquid. Coughing and laughing, he set the teacup on the plate and pounded his chest lightly. He was hoping after a few boyfriends of her own, Lily would remember saying that comment to her father or Jack saying back to her.

"Because she doesn't want to play with me," replied Jack distressed, his eyes narrow at Angelica.

"Not like that," Angelica told him clearly.

"Yet," added Teague as he brought his teacup to his lips to take the drink that was slightly burning his chest yet.

"Never," Angelica said.

"Come, come, you might change your mind luv. I did woo you before," reminded Jack.

"Jack, I was the one doing the wooing and you were the one drooling," corrected Angelica.

"He plays with dolls and drools like a dog," noted Lily shaking her head. "My Daddy is crazy."

"Am not," Jack insisted. "Too much sun over the years Lily-Rose. The sun makes a man and a woman go mad."

"Angelica's not crazy. Grandfather isn't crazy," said Lily. "Well, Angelica doesn't know how to have fun and Grandfather is Grandfather."

"Meaning?" wondered Teague.

Lily shrugged her shoulders and raised her palms for emphasis. "I dunno; you're Grandfather."

No harm taken to his name, Teague nodded his head. Calling him Grandfather was like trying to explain Jack Sparrow's personality; it was as it was and everyone knew it.

"I think I'm going to go to rest for the night. We are leaving at dawn after all," Angelica informed the rest of the Teagues, feeling she was not belonging in the room. She pushed the chair out from behind her and stood. "Don't even think about crawling into my bed."

"What if it's a dream?" wondered Jack.

"Jack, I may like you being immortal," noted Jack. "I can finally take a pistol to your midsection and I am not implying your stomach either." She discreetly motioned to that small area between the hip bones with her forefingers.

Both Jack and Teague turned away. Jack crossed his legs and smiled at her.

"You just don't go doing that to a man Angelica, not even to Jack when he's been a cocky little flirt," said Teague.

"It'll only hurt for a little while," Angelica said.

"That's all right. Your bed is yours," Jack insisted.

"I thought so," said Angelica. "Good night. Don't have pleasant dreams."

"Good night," Lily called. Her reply was the door slamming shut. "She's not nice."

"She is when she wants to be," said Jack.

"Mm hm," agreed Teague. He poked Lily's nose. "And you Lily need to have a bath and go to bed."

"I want Daddy to do it," Lily announced, crawling into her father's lap less than gently.

"Aye aye," said Jack.

He swung Lily over his shoulder and carried her down a few halls to draw a bath for her. While she sat on the sofa, he collected her night dress, robe, and comb from her room for her. Just to her liking, he added rose petals and a few drops of vanilla scent to her water. She loved smelling like flowers and vanilla. Everyone, especially Jack, adored when she had the scent of a rose on her. She was his precious flower after all.

Like her mother would have, Jack soaped her hair and gently combed his fingers through the gentle waves. He was careful not to get soap in her eyes. As always, he worked his massaging hands through her scalp and then gently poured small buckets filled with water over the back of her head. He kept one hand on her forehead to prevent the soap from spilling in her eyes and therefore causing her unnecessary pain. All the while, he was singing various chanteys of the sea.

Lily was singing along and playing with her little wooden boat while her father was attending to her filthy hair. She stuck her arms and her legs out of the water and in her father's face so he could wash them with soap. Since there were soapy bubbles in the water, she couldn't resist but to collect some of them and blow them into her father's face.

While she blew, Jack inhaled, consequently involuntarily taking bubbles into his lungs. His body knowing bubbles were a substance that did not belong, he coughed and choked.

Lily giggled at him and stuck her mouth and nose underwater so only her eyes peeked out from the bubbles. Her pupils were high on her eyes and near her eyelids. A devilish angel appearance came over her. There was a mischievous look in her eyes that was a warning to others around her but her eyes also smiled. With the red roses reflecting in her eyes and the setting sun reflecting off of them, her eyes were glowing with a red brown tint. In that single moment, just for a moment, Jack saw himself looking back at him. There were times he knew his eyes had that red tint to them and looked back out with a devilish smile. Ironically, he couldn't find one thing about her mother other than soft features. She was all his daughter.

"Wot?" Jack asked with a smirk.

Raising her head, Lily squirt water at her father's face.

Jack grumbled and wiped his palm across his wet face. Taking his revenge, he splashed water in her face. He soon regretted his achievement, for water was being splashed upon him by seven year old hands. Allowing it for about two seconds, he sat there and took it.

"All right, all right Miss Lily, that's enough lass," he said, grabbing her little wrists. "I cannot recall a day where I was not wet."

"I'm not going to splash you again. Promise. Cross my heart," Lily said, her voice clearly indicating she had a tale to tell yet. Her finger crossed her chest and then she motioned for her father to come closer. "Come here."

Giving her a narrow eye, Jack hesitated for a moment. A little pout on Lily's face caused him to come closer. He felt small arms reach around his head and pull on the black ribbon keeping his hair back. Several handfuls of water were poured over his head and fingers messed his hair into knots. He wasn't sure where his daughter's intentions were leading, but knew it was going to require painful combing later.

Lily pushed her father's head back up then cupped her hands under the water to part them over her father's hairline. She messed the top of his head and pulled a few strands of his dark hair beside his face to lightly braid and then twist. Satisfied, she gave a sharp nod of her head then sat back in her bathwater.

"There, now you look like my Daddy again," she said, finally explaining her reasons behind all the water.

Jack would have smiled at his daughter's brilliant mind, but was only reminded why he could not keep his appearance as Jack Sparrow. His heart sank with the joy Lily brought him. Saying nothing, he and his dripping hair stood and journeyed to the chair where he had a fluffy towel. He stood his daughter up and wrapped her in the towel. After drying out her hair a bit, he raised her arms to pull her light pink night dress over her body then wrapped her in her green robe. Sparing her the effort of walking and wanting to keep her in his arms, he carried her back to her room and sat her on the bed.

Feeling something was wrong with her father, Lily said nothing. She did not take her eyes from her father's face, even after he sat her on one side of her veranda sofa and him taking up residency of the other side. She watched him take both of her hands then look into her eyes.

"Lily, I know you don't want to hear this," began Jack. "You can't stay here anymore. Your grandfather has to attend to his duties with the Code and I have to go away. You can't come with me darling. I want you and I'm fighting myself not to take you with me."

"Why can't I come?" wondered Lily.

"I have to do something dangerous," said Jack.

"You're always doing something dangerous," noted Lily.

"No, Lily-Rose, this even has your father worried," admitted Jack.

Frightened suddenly, Lily crawled across the sofa so she was sitting in her father's lap. Her left side was seamlessly pressed against her father's torso. Both legs were curled tight across her father's outstretched legs. When Jack wrapped an arm around her, she quickly clutched her fingers around his forearm and squeezed.

"Worse than Davy Jones?" wondered Lily.

"No, not as bad as dealing with him," lied Jack.

Never would he admit his situation was worse than squaring his soul to Jones. With Jones, he had control over his soul. His soul depended on a doll which he had hardly any control over. Whoever possessed the doll possessed the undoing to his soul. He learned he wasn't as immortal as he thought he was. Dying proved that. Before the Locker, he himself thought he was immortal at times. After, he knew he was more mortal than the rest of the world. Drinking Aqua de Vida did nothing for him but save his life so he could be a father. Yet, it was the Water of Life taking him away from his daughter again.

"Good," said Lily.

"Tomorrow," continued Jack, pushing aside his dark thoughts. "We're going to sail to an island I know of. A very dear friend of mine lives there and I trust her with you. She has her own son so you'll have someone to play with."

"He better like playing with ships," said Lily.

"I'm sure he does," Jack said confidently. "If he didn't I'd be quite worried with the choices his mother is choosing to his upbringing."

"How long are you going to be away?" asked Lily.

"Honestly, and you know me when I'm honestly speaking means I'm being honest which is always a bad omen to encounter, I haven't slightest idea," said Jack. "Could be days or years. I don't know."

"It better be a few days," said Lily.

"Not going to lie to you because I hate lying to you, it's going to be at least two months Lily-Rose," said Jack.

"Two months!" Lily cried, her voice high and squeaky. Her eyes were narrow in sadness and forehead wrinkled.

Trying to salvage his relationship with his daughter, Jack shook his head and waved his hand. "No, no, no, you're getting this all wrong darling. I have to go to Carolina and then Louisiana so the destinations are what's going to take forever."

"Oh," said Lily, calming. "You have to go from one side of the Colonies to the other. Oh, okay, that is much more understandable. I get it now."

"Good," said Jack.

"Can you bring me a present?" Lily asked sweetly.

"No, I shall not," Jack told her speaking with sarcasm and a smirk.

Her own little smirk widened across Lily's lips. "My own guitar would be appreciated."

"When you're older," Jack said, clearly having told her that for years. Lily opened her mouth and Jack pressed his forefinger against her lips. "I know, I know Lily: dark, pale pink with a black rose chain painted around, shadowed in gold or silver depending what you feel like when you intend to place the order and a dark neck with the rose chain going all the way waving back and forth to the frets then ending with a compass. I know; you've told me more times than the number of days I've sailed."

"Probably," said Lily. "Are you really, really sure I can't come with you."

"Like I told you Lily-Rose," said Jack with a poke of her nose. "I'm fighting myself not to take you with me because I'm fighting myself to take you with me."

"Then you want to take me with you?" wondered Lily, excitement beaming in her voice and eyes.

"Aye, but I know I can't," said Jack.

"Daddy, you're not making any sense at all," sighed Lily.

"I never do," confessed Jack. "Now, we'll have tonight and tomorrow and that night and more of the day after tomorrow together I reckon. What do you want to do?"

"Another guitar lesson," proclaimed Lily.

"That sounds bloody brilliant," said Jack.

"Good," said Lily. She kissed her father's nose. "I'll get my guitar."

Sighing, Jack wished he could say the same about himself. Unfortunately, his favorite guitars were most likely the size of the width of a piece of hair. Nevertheless, as his father and Will so reminded him, he knew where they were of course; they were sitting nestled between his coat on a chair with another coat casually laid over the bottle. So, instead, he quietly went to his father's quarters and borrowed his father's favorite Flamenco guitar.

Well into the night, Jack gave Lily her guitar lesson. She was using a guitar that Jack had when he was just a child about her size when he was learning to play himself. The color was a simple wood, no fancy detailing as a child would grow out of it eventually.

Lily's lesson was hardly a lesson at all. She needed no lessons on guitar playing. Her talent was already as great as any fine musician out there. Jack was previously told by his father earlier she played for hours when she was bored and had no one to play with. Music was her entertainment and Lily brought out various sheet music she was writing. Of course, with that Jack had to aid his daughter. She was still working on learning notes and applying rhythms to paper. She knew the basics of notes and their location, rhythms were a work in progress and Jack admitted to her it took him a while to master rhythm writing. He always told her "music that is as difficult as air to place on paper is the greatest music of all; it comes from the air to the heart and is not meant to be put down in permanent form". Only too right he was.

Father and daughter were also writing a duet. They had begun it a few months ago, before Jack heard rumors about being captured and brought to London when he was in fact wandering the Colonies. Now together, they continued to labor and blend. For that, Jack once again had to tiptoe to his father's quarters and borrow an acoustic guitar. At the moment, he took lead melody while Lily played more than simple rhythms below. She preferred to play harmony anyway. Melody was not beautiful unless there was harmony below.

Eventually, Lily began nodding now and then and shaking her sleepy head. All in all, Jack removed the guitar from her hands, gently setting it back on the pillows. With her refusal to sleep because she apparently wasn't tired, Jack simply nodded his head. He said no words and let the wonders of his fingers on finely tuned strings echo in a wooden contraption. With a single lullaby strummed out, he noticed his daughter was curled on her side sleeping. A gentle smile on his face, he pulled the dark pink blanket back to tuck her inside. He leaned over the bed to kiss her head.

"Daddy, stay," Lily whispered sleepily.

"All right," replied Jack softly.

His heart sang a song of Hallelujah inside him. There was no female better to sleep in the same bed than with his daughter. He sat on the edge and removed a few layers of clothing down to breeches and tunic. When he pulled the blanket back, Lily scooted over to one side of the bed. He lay on his back initially to pull the blankets upward to covering them. Before he had a thought to roll on his side, the body of a seven year old girl curled against him, the side of a soft face pressed against his left breast and a little arm curled across his chest and a hand fell over his right shoulder. Lily's cheek was lying across her tattooed name. She was on her halfway on her side conforming her torso to her father's chest. The left arm of her father curled her tighter into him and rubbed his cheek into her hair.

Before surrendering to sleep, Jack did what any good father did; he kissed his daughter goodnight and told her he loved her. And, like every daughter should, she whispered "I love you" back to him.

Impatiently, Angelica waiting at the helm of the ship _Tristan_. The half dozen crewmen borrowed from Teague were aboard and prepared to set sail. After all, it was dawn and the captain did declare they were to leave at dawn. It was just like Jack Sparrow to say one thing and do another. Of course, two people were missing and one just happened to be the captain himself. With no captain, they had no heading and with no heading they had nowhere to go.

More than through with waiting for him like she had for years, Angelica left the ship in a huff and stomped through Shipwreck City to Jack Sparrow's quarters. Appropriately, she knocked gently twice then allowed angry Angelica to pound on the door and shouted his name. Even more appropriately Angelica, she kicked the door open only to discover there was no Jack Sparrow in there. She shook her head at the sight of no chests either. Literally everything but the captain and his daughter were aboard the ship.

Of course, his daughter. Angelica wandered from Jack's room, down the hall halfway, to the hall on the left and the first door on the left. Not punishing the little girl for anything if she woke her and her father wasn't in there, she quietly entered the unlocked door. Amusingly, Lily's traveling chests were also already tucked away on the ship that was supposed to have left an hour ago. With even more care, she walked across the room to the halfway opened door to the bedchamber.

There she discovered not only a sleeping Lily, but a sleeping Jack Sparrow holding his daughter as he had fallen asleep. Angelica simply could not find it in herself to understand. A supposed fling with another woman left him a mistaken child that was never mean and he just happened to love that mistake of a child more than anything she might think of. Anyone who believed Jack Sparrow loved his rum or the _Black Pearl_ most in the world surely would have a change of heart after seeing the sight she was looking upon.

Lily was a godforsaken sin, possibly the worst sin of all. Not only did Jack sleep with a woman before marriage, but he produced an illegitimate child with that woman. All children were born sinners and children before marriage was twice the sin. Yet, Lily was anything but a sin. She was Jack's piece of Heaven. She was the only treasure Jack could call his, his only love. Lily's birth was the greatest event in Jack's life. Studying the child lying in her father's arms asleep, Angelica's religious ways began to reconsider themselves again. How could something so lovely and ethereal be such work of the Devil?

"Makes you wonder doesn't it?"

Angelica gasped and whipped her head around.

Teague was looking in as well, apparently having noticed the ship was still in the Cove. "She was the greatest mistake to happen to him. Trust me when I tell you Jack and Anamaria never meant for her existence. They were a simple fling that killed her and brought him life. I'll admit I wanted to strangle Jack and cut a piece of his body from him when he told me he produced a child with another woman and ran off. I once believed Jack was incapable of raising a child and I stand by that today with different reasons." He looked at Angelica and cupped her shoulders. "Swear one thing to me and I will never ask for another. Ensure Jack Sparrow stays alive for his daughter's sake. Without him she won't survive."

"All one must do is keep the doll out of unfriendly hands and I know how," said Angelica. "Jack trusts me with the doll and I know how to keep it from anyone else's hands."

Teague nodded. "I'll get them up. You can have the pleasure of waking Joshamee Gibbs. He's still sleeping."

Angelica smiled devilishly. At least she could rudely wake one man. With one last look at the sleeping father and daughter with an engraving in her head, she left.

Quietly, Teague walked across the room. He sat beside his son. "Jackie, Jack, wake up Son. You should have left an hour ago. Ja-ack."

The sleeping Sparrow stirred in his sleep and his eyes opened. His head rolled to the opposite side to look at his father with one open eye and the other still hallway asleep.

Teague grinned as he brushed a few pieces of hair from his son's sleepy face. "You should have left an hour ago."

Jack blinked and gave a shake of his head. He made himself aware of the lighting in the room then grimaced sheepishly. "Oops."

"I didn't do it," Lily said as she too rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"You two need to get your clothes on and head out. I have breakfast in the Dining Hall. I've already repositioned your sea chests to the ship as well as three guitars. And Jackie, one scratch on either of them and I remove years of your immortality with my hands," said Teague.

"Understood and agreed," Jack told him.

Hurriedly, Jack and Lily dressed in appropriate sailing attire. They acquired the quick meal Teague spoke of including eggs and warm sweet bread. Hand in hand, the two emerged from the fortress.

Although Angelica did have a smart comment on her tongue, she was compelled to keep it on her tongue for more than one reason. Not only was Lily a child and not needing to hear those words, but she still had difficulty fathoming the sight of John Teague and his daughter Lily-Rose Teague.

Jack was dressed much similar to what he wore the previous day, breeches, tunic, waistcoat all buttoned but the first three. Instead of red, he wrapped an iridescent emerald green bandana around his head. Kohl was lined around his eyes; then again, it was common for sailors to line their eyes dark so the reflective sea was absorbed by the black and not directly burning into the pupils. At least Jack had enough decency to thin it out a bit more than he usually wore, simply brushing his lower eye and half of the eyelid. A sage colored coat was in his free hand.

Beside him, Lily was dressed similar to her father, breeches and tunic. She was wearing a rose pink coat patterned in pale pink, iridescent blooming roses. Black trimmed the cuffs and front. Silver buttons accented the iridescent roses. Her dark hair was braided behind her head and atop her head was her father's famous hat. Even her eyes were lined lightly with kohl. Four piercings shimmered on her small ears and those piercings just happened to be four diamond studs. About her neck, she wore a black pearl necklace appropriately. To fit her growing body until adulthood, the line containing the pearls was wrapped twice around laying right to her neck. Attached to the necklace and resting right on her collarbone was two golden charms. One appropriately was a simple, single blooming rose and the other a single sparrow in flight that just happened to fly toward the rose.

Now on deck, Angelica looked them up and down, smirking at their bare feet.

"Just so you know she's my first mate," announced Jack, motioning to the miniature female. "And, no it isn't bad luck to bring women aboard Mr. Gibbs. Do not test those waters."

"No testing needed," groaned Gibbs, sitting on the helm stairs with a cloth against the top of his head.

"You look bloody awful what happened to you?" wondered Jack.

"Your lass took a pitcher of water to me head after pouring on me. Apparently we left an hour ago," said Gibbs.

Jack tensed and rubbed his own head on a particular spot that he still believed contained the bruise Angelica bestowed upon him with a pan long ago. He brought his daughter to the helm. With a salute to one worried father, Captain Jack Teague ordered the sails to flow and to catch the breeze that led them out of Shipwreck Cove.

Edward Teague watched the ship _Tristan_ disappear beyond the rocky entrance. His old ivory compass brought him luck in times he needed it most when he was younger in his honest pirating days. His compass did everything but point to what he wanted most in the world. Jack Teague would need all the luck he might procure now. Walking back into the fortress, the father silently prayed to everything holy his son would come back alive with Angelica finally as his companion. He was not a man of faith, yet there were times asking for a little assistance was needed. Jack was on his own with nothing but the woman he loved who was the female version of him, which he had to admit was the best thing for Jack.

Out on the Sea, Angelica approached Jack and Lily cautiously with a question on her mind. "Jack, if I can call you Jack."

"It stays Jack. I will not be announced as John, too many of them out there wandering this Earth," Jack informed.

"Where is it we are taking her?" asked Angelica, looking to Lily.

"I told you lass, an old friend of mine," reminded Jack.

"Being?" wondered Angelica.

"We'll, she just happens to live on Isla del Sol," added Jack.

"Island of the Sun," noted Angelica.

"Legend has it the sun's rays shine on any measure of the island at any given time of day from arriving in the East and leaving in the West. The Missus lives on the West side of the island waiting for her long lost love to return for his one day upon land," continued Jack.

"We're going Miss Elizabeth?" said Gibbs who had been listening in.

"Mm hm," said Jack.

"Shall I hide the rum?" wondered Gibbs.

"Nah," Jack said with a wave of his hand, hardly worried. "I'm sure she would be honored to provide us with a glass. 'Sides, I've got more wine on this ship than I do rum. Everyone assumes I'm a rum drinker. Nope, much more prefer my red wine to rum."

Unexpectedly, Angelica stepped forward and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek.

Jack turned his head with an arched eyebrow and pursed lips. He altogether released his hands from the wheel to wholly turn his body. A single finger pointed to his still moist right cheek.

"Muchas gracias para la rosa cordón mi amor," Angelica said halfway down the helm stairs already walking away from him.

"Huh?" wondered Lily. "Thank you and lace rose?"

Jack waved it off. "Nothing." He took his attention back to the helm. His head lowered and a hand rose to rub the back of his neck concealing the smirk on his face. So, if Angelica was thanking him for the rose he left her for her bath as well as the lace, there was a lost spark ignited. A simple token of affection from the past received her gratitude and appreciation. She wouldn't down right say "thank you" for no reason, Spanish or not.

He just happened to look at Angelica as she adjusted mainsail. When she whipped her head around to inhale the sea breeze he noticed a white lace braided under the full body of her hair. Her acceptance to his invitation of love was braiding that lace into her hair and keeping it there until it was removed by the lover himself.

Was everything destined to end in death, he had the sneaky suspicion the journey was going to be worth it. He gave his invitation for love and Angelica accepted. They were starting right where they met. He kidnapped her from her ship and was showing her the world all over again. If things continued as they were, possibly, just maybe Lily would get the happily ever after she wanted with the story of the Search for the Sword of Cortés. Of course, Jack had every intention of avoiding his grand death. Although, if it was anything like Will Turner's death leading to his grand entrance as an immortal captain, death possibly, maybe would be worth it.

Jack nodded his head at the possibility of returning from the dead gloriously. For now, he cleared his throat and his head to make note that Will's words of "the fastest ship on the seas" was quite true. Habit of course, removed the compass from his person and held it out before him. There was one small detail he forgot.

He frowned when the compass needled pointed north and his frown turned into a downright slump when he followed the needle's Northern direction right to one Angelica. That was more amusing when he pondered the thought of his "broken" compass pointing toward her because it probably would have. "Broken" compass or Northern pointing compass, the needle was at her. Although, he felt better when she moved from her current placement on deck and the needle remained pointing north.

Curious, he glanced at the needle. Yep, it was still pointing North.

Further pondering if there was more meaning behind the Northern pull pointing toward Angelica for that moment, his head tilted back and he made to pull at the two braids hanging from his chin. He realized he was groping air for something no longer there. Discouraged at the reminder of being what he was not, he grumbled and tapped his fingers on the compass instead knowing that was something Jack Sparrow would have done.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**of course, thank your for the dedication and wonderful words producing reviews!**

**sorry it took so long to update. i've been battling a week long cold/flu with a severe sunburn mixed in with it.**

**well, obviously this had to do more with Lily and Jack, but she will be key later and Angelica has to understand the father/daughter relationship if she is to understand who Jack is now is.**

**next chapter we begin the great journey in encountering familiar characters mixed with new and Angelica has a tricky, trick up her sleeves with that doll. any guesses? **

**oh, Fitzwilliam and the _Barnacle_...ring any bells to you Jack Sparrow readers out there? and for those of you that don't know, Fitzwilliam was part of Jack's first crew aboard his first command being the _Barnacle_. i'll just say Fitzy is nothing more than Royal Navy scum.**

**so thoughts? questions? concerns? likes? whatever you feel like mentioning, let me know!**

**Happy Readings!  
><strong>


	6. Tantrums

**XXX Tantrums XXX**

The day arose with an orange sun. It was not quite red as sailors feared, but was not golden as preferred. There was something eerie about the orange sun that rose before him. Neither the golden sun welcomed the day, nor did the crimson orb curse it. With the two, there was and was not a warning of bad fortune and so a sailor had to keep his attention more aware.

Jack ignored the heeding warning. He was glad it was his turn as captain of the watch and captain he was in general. No one was there to bother him or listen in on his conversation. Since he was but the only soul on deck, there was time to think and consult his two companions.

With cat like skill, he clambered over the fore castle of the ship and settled himself gingerly on the bowsprit. One leg was on each side of the protruding beam and his back was settled against the fore castle at a comfortable angle. His arms folded across his chest gently and he swallowed hard to prepare himself for his summoning of the two beings that he spoke to in his times of need.

The one companion was a flamboyant pirate himself who went by the name of Jackie. He was very much a Captain Jack Sparrow himself. Most of the time he was halfway drunk and carrying around his bottle of rum that never ended. He too wore a red bandana, beaded dreadlocks, a hat, sashes, knee high boots, knick knacks piercings, and swaggered when he walked. The years in sun had taken his head for a turn toward madness. He desired nothing more than sailing the seas with his freedom and no ties to anyone or anything. Leverage and conning were his masteries and used them to his advantage on a daily basis. As one of the best pirates, wanted posters were hung on every door for his head dead or alive and he was still sailing the Earth alive.

The other companion was a simple common man as common as his name. John was a mere sailor on the seas. His hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, clothes merely trousers and a tunic with a nice waistcoat, a belt kept the pieces to him, sleeves rolled to the center of his forearm, no tattoos, no piercings, no kohl, and he had but a light tan to him. Clearly, he spent more time on land than he did on the sea; he was a family man who worked on the sea for his family's meals. Rather than sailing the seas, he much more preferred to be home in Ireland with his daughter and father. His life was simple and he thought everything through.

"All right, I need to ask and asking you two is something I don't normally do but I need to talk to you," said Jack.

"Well I was bloody wondering when ye wanted to talk mate," noted Jackie.

"Indeed," agreed John.

Jack looked at them. "What do I do mates?"

Jackie and John looked at each other quizzically and shrugged. Both motioned Jack to elaborate.

"About Lily? How is it is I am to find the mutinous, ship bottling, one legged man himself? Where am I to find a mermaid and a missionary on the largest island of the Bahamas? How the hell I'm supposed to get that sword? I know he won't give it to me even with his sister's ship as leverage. I'll have no warning to heed of the Spanish or the bloody Navy seeing as I am one compass less than I normally am—"

"To remind you Jack, the compass wasn't pointing straight and true," said John.

"I know," said Jack with a whine and sigh. "Nonetheless mate, it did point when I needed it to."

"Well, then you'll just have to use your so-called seafaring skills and go with that instinct of yours. Welcome to the new world Jack," said Jackie. He raised his bottle in honor of the new world and drank to it. "There is no probable fortune for ye mate. That sun out there says all. Your luck may favor but it'll end disastrous like it always does."

"Don't listen to him," John said with a comforting hand on Jack's shoulders. "He never examines every side to a situation and considers his calculations. He drinks and runs. He's a coward."

"I am not!" Jackie cried insulted.

"Yes you are," said John as he confidently folded his arms across his chest.

"Prove it," demanded Jackie.

"You've always run from a fight," said John.

"Have not," Jackie told him, approaching.

"Aye, you have," John told him also approaching.

Jackie drew his pistol and pointed it at John. "I have not."

"Here is an example is it not Jack? He dares not settle this like a man and instead chooses to use a pistol and stand from a far distance. He's a coward," stated John.

"All right, all right, all right. Stop arguing," Jack spat, pushing his palms against them parting them. "Do I take Lily with me or not?"

"She's a female child. Ye have bad fortune already mate. Ye don't need to be worrying over another girl. Leave her on the island and never come back. Get her out of your hair forever mate; that's wot I'd do," said Jackie.

"Speak with Elizabeth. She is a mother herself and a parent who has raised her child for five years," said John.

"I want to take her, but I'm unsure because of the situation," Jack said.

Jackie threw his head back emptying his bottle. "I still say leave her."

"Speak," John said. "As for the missionary Philip, he is a religious man and therefore you should look in a church for your answers. Questioning his faith as William said undoubtedly will leave him in a church quite often, as he has questions."

"And since you're at it mate, have a go with that mermaid. You'll be able to say ye got a smooch from a mermaid," said Jackie. "And for that pesky, codfish, mutinying, peg leg, scraggly Barbados, alls ye have to do mate is listen for words of the ship. _Queen Anne's Revenge_ is the ship all men fear. If I's was him I'd take on the name Blackbeard and just keep a going along with the image."

"What did he call him?" wondered John.

"Barbados," replied Jack with a laugh. He turned to Jackie and gave a narrow eyed nod. "Never thought of that."

"Clearly you've never impersonated a pirate," noted Jackie.

"No, I've been the one who continues to be impersonated," said Jack through his teeth. "I'll never forgive her for impersonating me as First Mate and not captain. It's madly insulting."

"Agreed!" Jackie cried, slamming his fist against the wood.

"Aye, I must share words of agreement," said John.

"How do you propose I keep away from those wanting me immortal years and neck hanged?" asked Jack.

"Keep a sharp eye," John told him immediately.

Jackie grumbled and nodded. "I hate agreeing with him, but he's right. Oh! Ye could always just use your connections to the Sea."

"That would be wonderful Drunken Jackie, but he cannot place this burden upon Captain Turner," said John.

"I mean use his merfolk title and enlist them Common John," said Jackie.

Jack's face lit up as a gold tooth smile widened across his lips. His head whipped to Jackie and he pointed at him with both forefingers. "That's a good idea mate."

"Ye are King of the Scaly Tails and ye have been since ye was a teenager," reminded Jackie. He pounded his fist on Jack's head. "Think back to the past Jack. How did ye do everything ye did before the all pointing compass?"

"You do have connections to the sea and friends willing to assist you. You have six already, that's a good start," said John.

"Rightly so," said Jack.

Jackie leaned down to Jack's ear. "Personally meself, I'd get a little closer to Angelica. Lure her in mate. When was the last time ye had a little love?"

"Now, now, now that's personal Jackie," said John with a raised eyebrow. Curious, he too leaned down. "When was the last time?"

"Lily's age added nine months," said Jack.

Both John and Jackie sighed and shook their heads in disgust.

"Awful," said John.

"Eh, ye need to travel to Tortuga mate. Grab every wench on that island," said Jackie. He patted Jack's shoulder. "Ye need to feed yerself down there. It's unnatural. You're the eunuch not William."

"Apparently not Jackie, I have a daughter," reminded Jack.

"Biggest mistake of yer life mate. Ye never should'a had that fling with Anamaria," Jackie told him.

"Lily is not a mistake!" Jack screamed at him angered.

Jackie raised his palms in apology. "Aye, well had she not been created then ye wouldn't be running into this dilemma. Of course, had she not been created, ye probably wouldn't be immortal. Like ye once said 'immortal has to count for something'. Lily made ye change. Ye were once Captain Jack Sparrow mate. Now ye are Jack Teague, a father struggling to be a pirate and a pirate struggling to be a father."

"That is true," noted John. "It is that reason how I came to be."

"I know, I know," Jack told them nodding his guilty head.

"You're going to have to choose between one of us one day," warned John.

"Ye can't keep us both mate. Ye'll go mad," added Jackie.

"Haven't I done that already?" Jack asked yet knew the answer was yes.

"You're thinking too hard mate. Do what ye used to do and make it up as ye go along. Always worked before," said Jackie.

"That's a might bit difficult now that you have love and family. I admit, Lily did change you and Angelica returning had no assistance," admitted John.

"Ye know she loves ye mate and I say take that love for your leverage again. Use her like she used ye to get to the Fountain and then leave her," said Jackie.

"I can't," replied Jack softly. "I'm falling back in love with her."

Jackie whined and altogether beat his head against the wood. "Not good."

John sighed and shook Jack's hand. "Do I sense marriage this time around?"

"Mate, there will be no marriage if I cannot keep meself alive. You have to be alive to be married," Jack said.

"Please stay alive Jack. If ye die we die. Keep that in your civilizing mind," Jackie told him. He grabbed Jack's head by his ears and pulled his forehead onto his so he understood his words clearly. "And I want to stay alive."

"Agreed," said John anxiously.

"I want to be alive too," Jack told them, clearing all possible thought that they believed he was trying to kill himself. "Do you two think I'll make it out of this mess alive?"

John and Jackie looked at each other concerned and shrugged honestly.

"The longer you wait to choose one of us, the less likely it is you will stay alive," said John.

"Ye have to choose mate," added Jackie.

Understanding, Jack nodded. John gave him a nod of the head and turned away while Jackie saluted him and drank to his good fortune. Alone again, Jack settled himself on the bowsprit. The sea air blew onto his face and the orange sun glowed in his eyes. Fighting himself was doing no good and he knew that. He would have to choose between Jackie and John if he was to stay alive, yet one could not survive without the other. Both were needed to accomplish his tasks. They most likely meant after his tasks were accomplished would he have to choose. Yet, the more Jack thought, the more he knew Jackie and John would be needed both. Jackie was a must when avoiding his enemies and squaring the deal with Barbossa and John was needed for Angelica's sake and the sake of blending on land.

Letting his mind free, Jack shut his eyes and listened to the sea. He thought of no more than the wind swirling through each sail and line and the waves contacting the hull of the ship. The rocking of each swell lulled him and he felt himself relaxing. It was not time yet to put himself to use and rest was needed before his tasks at hand began. His mind was clear of all thought and he fell into a trance of the sea, as most sailors often could admit having done.

From the helm of the ship, Angelica's body trembled. She found breathing difficult. A hand covered her mouth as her eyes shut.

"Ye best be getting used to that," Gibbs said softly.

"How long has he been doing that?" wondered Angelica.

"Since we rescued him from the Locker. Surely Jack told you he was in Davy Jones' Locker for a year," said Gibbs.

"He never mentioned that," said Angelica distressed.

"Oh," said Gibbs. He turned his head way from Angelica and frowned. Indeed that was something he shouldn't have told her. "Well, don't ask Jack about it because it'll make everything worse. When Jack is carrying full conversations with himself, it's best just to let him be. Let him talk it out with himself."

Wanting to say more than she could bear inside, Angelica sadly looked at Jack. There had to be a time when she and Jack would explain everything to each other. She didn't know Jack anymore. Jack needed someone to trust and she would ensure she was to be that person. She watched Jack's head whip over his shoulder and clamber himself into the safety of the ship's rails. He bent down to scoop his daughter into his arms and swing her around.

"Joshamee, do you believe it wise to keep her aboard this ship?" Angelica softly asked.

"She pulls him out of his insanity something fierce," agreed Gibbs. He shook his head. "If anything happened to that young lass Jack would kill himself. Mark my words."

"And Jack would kill himself if something happened to her and he wasn't there," said Angelica, turning to him.

"Trust me; Lily is going to be in better care with Elizabeth than she is with her father. I don't know if ye know Elizabeth is Will's wife. Captain Will Turner of the _Flying Dutchman_ married the Elizabeth we are travelling to and is the father of Wills Turner I believe his name is. Should anything happen to Lily, and I rather doubt anything will happen, Elizabeth will call Will and I know William will do all in his ability to reunite Lily to her father," said Gibbs.

"Josh, I'm falling in love with Jack all over again," Angelica suddenly told him.

"Mm hm," said Gibbs, keeping his attention on the approaching island.

"Did you not hear me?" wondered Angelica.

"I know," replied Gibbs.

"Oh, so then you know I'm falling in love with Jack again," said Angelica sarcastically and not expecting the answer he had for her.

"You are the only person who despises Lily and why else? He loves her more than you," said Gibbs nonchalantly.

Angelica scoffed Gibbs and smacked him a good one across the cheek. To think that was one thing, but to actually go forth and say it especially to her personally was another thing. Disgusted with him, she stormed from the helm and retreated into the captain's cabin with a slam of the doors. The glass behind her rattled. Before she pulled the curtains over the door, she caught Jack's curious eye and saw Lily shaking her head and rolling her eyes in her father's arms.

She was not jealous that Lily had Jack's love more than she. She could care less about loving Jack. He was probably going to break her heart again. This time around she was using him to get her father's ship back into her rightful hands. _Queen Anne's Revenge_ was her ship by rights and she intended on sailing her ship as her father would have wanted. Through all her father's stolen years she intended to sail his ship for him.

Knuckles rapped on the glass.

"What!" she screamed.

Jack poked his head in. "Are you all right because you're throwing a tantrum?"

"I am not throwing a tantrum Jack! Now, get out!" Angelica demanded.

"Yep, you're throwing a tantrum," noted Jack.

Irritated, Angelica grabbed the bowl of fruit on the table and hurled across the room aiming right for Jack's head and she would have hit him squarely on the forehead had he not had time to previously shut the door.

"May I inquire what has gotten you all a tied up?" Jack asked from behind the shelter of the door, save for a hand groping around the floor for one of the apples.

"Nothing," she snapped.

"Angelica," Jack said, slowly entering and shutting the door behind him. He took a large bite from the red apple's flesh. "Wot's wrong? You look like you lost something. I can help you find it if you did lose it."

"It's not that simple Jack," said Angelica. "And I shouldn't have let myself fall for you again. But I did. Of course, I never expected a seven year old girl to come between us. Last time it was you not being ready. This time it's a seven year old girl who just happens to be your bastard child."

The apple slipped from his person as Jack raised his hand firmly and bit his lip. Anger swelled in his eyes and tightened his face. His nostrils flared. His knuckles tightened into tight fist. He pursed his lips and calmed himself slowly as he glanced around the room breathing deeply.

"I only say what is true," said Angelica.

"Do not call my daughter that," Jack told her calmly through his fury.

"Yes, but she is Jack," Angelica said. "I thought she was adorable when I first met her. Sleeping in your arms she appeared angelic and I believed it. I should have known there are no angels on this Earth, only devils in disguise luring men in."

"You're jealous," Jack said with an amused laugh. "You're jealous I care more for my daughter than you aren't you?"

"It's wrong Jack. It's wrong to have a child before marriage and she changed you. Your daughter is going to be your death in the end," Angelica told him.

Jack waved his hands in front of his face and stepped closer. His anger was replaced by disbelief and confusion. "Let me get something straight luv. You're upset and jealous of my daughter because I love her more than you or you have a grudge against my daughter because you fear her very existence will kill me?"

"Yes," replied Angelica.

Needing more, Jack rolled his fore fingers over each other. He leaned his head closer to her. "And? Which is it?"

"It's both all right!" snapped Angelica with her fiery Spanish temper.

"Oh, good to know you don't just hate her to hate her for no good reason," said Jack relieved.

"I still hate you," said Angelica.

"For stealing your years, stealing your father's years, loving my daughter more than you, marooning you, or leaving you standing at the altar?" wondered Jack.

"All of them," Angelica told him.

"Then why are you still standing here looking at me if you hate me with all your might. Just leave. I'm not stopping you," said Jack. Politely and ever the gentleman, he opened the door and motioned her to leave with his arm. "Go on then."

"I want my father's ship," stated Angelica.

"Oh, then you're just here to tag along I see," said Jack.

"Jack, what happened to you when you were in Davy Jones' Locker?" Angelica asked anxiously.

Taken by surprise, Jack shut the door. He stuck both forefingers in his mouth one at a time and shoved them in his ears. He swirled them about then pulled his fingers from the canal. "Come again?"

"What happened to you when you were in Davy Jones' Locker?"

"I don't believe I mentioned that to you," noted Jack.

"Gibbs and I saw you talking to yourself earlier. Why am I not supposed to ask you about the Locker? According to Gibbs, you've been all odd since the Locker. What happened?" wondered Angelica.

"Uh," began Jack.

"I feel as though you have two personalities fighting to control you. At least, that is what I noted when listening to your conversation. One you called 'Jackie', is Captain Jack Sparrow and the other 'John', is John Teague. You were speaking as though they were true people," said Angelica.

"That's because they are in my mind luv. I see them as clearly as I see you now, here, presently before me. The Locker is not something to be desired or spoken of. Simply know I was dead without being dead and when you are dead without being dead, you tend to lose your mind and a bit of me was left there," said Jack.

"Is it possible to correct your madness?" wondered Angelica.

"Afraid not luv. Come to accept me as I am, but I will assure you I am still me. Always have been. Always will be," said Jack.

"You aren't you," noted Angelica. "You never will be you again."

"And neither will you," Jack told her. "Alls I want to do is get through with all these little misfortunes of mine with me soul still attached to my body and alive."

"Easier said than done," said Angelica, reading Jack's mind. "Even with two of you."

"Angelica, come, come. I told you before. There is only one Captain Jack Sparrow," said Jack.

"Yes, and he is but a person in your mind fighting to control you," Angelica said.

Jack opened his mouth with a smack. He raised a forefinger and eyes narrowed in thought. Succumbing to the facts of the difficult truth he nodded his head sadly. "Touché."

Happy, little feet came prancing towards the door. The head of a seven year old girl poked in. She was glowing in both radiance and the grin on her face. "We're here! We're here! It looks so beautiful Daddy."

"I'll be there in a moment darling," Jack said over his shoulder.

Lily nodded her head and went running out again.

Angelica sighed heavily as she folded her arms across her chest. Her head was shaking back and forth in disgust and her lips were over on the right side of her face.

"Wot?" wondered Jack. "Honestly, Angelica if you don't like her and I know you don't and you don't want to be here like I think you don't then just leave. Save me the bother of arguing with you over stupid, little things that are involved in my life."

"I can't Jack," said Angelica.

"Why? Why can't you leave I wonder?" said Jack.

"You know why," replied Angelica. "I love you."

"I don't like that word. It gives me the heebee jeebees," said Jack, shuddering.

"You say it to your daughter perfectly fine," said Angelica.

"She's my daughter. I'm her father. That should be reason enough," said Jack.

"I wouldn't know would I? My father's years were stolen before I could have them," reminded Angelica

"And I would give up my years for my Lily-Rose in a heartbeat or a breath of air. I told you, your father did what any father would do; he gave up his life for his beloved daughter," stated Jack confidently. "And before another argument ensues about that which we already know, I'm going to just a walk out of here and let you alone with your tantrums."

"Jack, do you even care that I tell you I love you?" wondered Angelica.

"Telling someone of love is like saying 'I'm Jack Sparrow' when you are not in fact Jack Sparrow. Love can be an imposter just like everyone who claims to be me. Doing love is like, well, doing love. There is proof of love, clear evidence as clear as you and me standing here face to face," explained Jack. "And between you and me, I think I'm the one who is a loving you more than you claim to love me. A rose bath, the lacey rose, trusting myself in your possession, warning you of certain mutinies, stealing your father's years to ensure yours remain here on Earth, and leaving you at the altar. It wasn't because I wasn't ready Angelica; it was I who wondered if you were ready. I will admit as I admitted to one Joshamee Gibbs, I did have stirrings and feelings for you. He claimed that I left you even with feelings. Those are words not true. You and all your feelings left me. He claimed that it was 'low' that I left you and broke your heart. How can I be the one doing the heart breaking when I wondered if there was love true under that white dress you wore?"

"How can you say I don't love you Jack? I love you!" claimed Angelica, stepping forward. She set her palm against his face.

Jack pulled away. "If you loved me, you would have left me out of the mess with Blackbeard. You would have left me alone. You wouldn't have used my name and gotten me into this mess."

"But, Jack, I wanted you. I used your name to bring you closer to me. I intended on us becoming immortal together and drinking from the Fountain."

"Yes, but originally to being with priorly before you admitted lying to me by telling me the truth, you said the best part would be Blackbeard being dead. Only one of us would have drunk from his years. You always only mentioned one unfortunate soul tagging along with us, never two."

"I just assumed you already drank from the Fountain."

"You did not. You were going to use me like I apparently used you when in fact you were the one using me. And how is it you discovered the miracle that Edward Teach was your father?"

"Jack, how do I prove my love to you? I do love you."

"It'll come to you. Love is one of those things in this world that just hits people in the head and says something like 'hello, I'm a sign'."

As obvious as she could get, Angelica pressed her lips against Jack's as one palm went around his neck and the other around his head.

Not liking it one bit, Jack pushed her away. "Not good enough. I've had one deceptive kiss too many."

"Jack," began Angelica desperately.

"Look, Angelica, I have to do something important to me all right? Stop trying. If you try to love someone too hard you'll fall all the way down to the bottom until there is no love left. Stop thinking and do a me. Improvise; make it up as you go along. That's how I always survive," said Jack.

"Okay Jack, okay," said Angelica. "If that's how you want it."

"I suppose that is how I want it," said Jack.

"Then we're back to arguing over pointless matters?" Angelica assumed.

"If you want," said Jack.

"All right," said Angelica.

"But I'm not in the mood for arguing and I have to take care of my first and only love. So if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you to your pouting tantrums as I said before," Jack said, all the while slowly backing out of the room and shutting the doors behind him, although he did grab his apple from the floor.

Of course, being the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow there was and improvising as well as he did, the bait was set. If she did truly love him like he knew she did then she would do something to prove it one day. He knew she loved him. Her reaction to the scar on his chest and jealousy towards his daughter were obvious signs. One comment he did not lie of was his reasoning why he claimed to no be ready to wed her on that day. Something never did feel right about the two of them. He always simply felt used. He very well knew he ruined her life when he asked her to hide him in that Convent and he thought by taking her around the world he would give her a better life. He never intended to fall in love with her and nearly marry her and she apparently didn't believe so either.

Still, he did wonder what her action of love was going to be. He played out all his old tricks and set all the old bait that she once loved. Yet, when she did speak of Lily, two different jealousies were in her eyes. One jealousy was of course the jealousy of love and knowing it was not hers. The other jealousy was her very existence. Lily was his daughter by another woman and not by her. As much as she wanted to convince him she despised his daughter, he knew better. A woman first and foremost, Angelica wanted to be a mother. He recalled the few conversations they once spoke of over the matter of children. She was never meant to sail on a ship and become a pirate. Quite simply it was not in her blood to do so, but she was a complete natural at that.

What exactly was it about him she claimed to love so? Surely a woman loved only certain qualities of men. The more approving qualities a man possessed the more she would love him. All he was able to justify was simply that he showed her the world and gave her company from her lowly life. He wanted to be more than a simple companion claiming to be her loving husband. Angelica did not need a husband to care for her as most men were expected to do to their wives. She was quite capable of handling herself and she always had been.

Right then and there Jack Teague decided if he was indeed to carry his true love toward Angelica further, she did have to prove some physical love to him. Not enough was corresponding. Unanswered answers were no longer wanting to stay in the back of his head. He let himself fall for Angelica once and that broke his heart more than he could truly bear, which was the truth of it.

A smirk did widen across his face. If she intended on continuing to attempt to prove her love to him with kisses, he was not going to complain the least bit just as long as she continued kissing him with that fiery Spanish passion he adored.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**reviews, of course loved and appreciated.**

**all right, so i may have been fibbing when i mentioned old characters would be returning in this chapter, but i got carried away with Jack's madness worrying Angelica. all necessary though.  
><strong>

**as for Jack being King of the Merfolk, Jack Sparrow Vol. 12 says so. yes, his Kingly title will play into importance later.  
><strong>

**so, this time i speak true when i say old PotC characters are returning next as well as Angelica proving her love to Jack without him knowing just yet.**

**well, thoughts? comments? questions? concerns? anything you want to mention at all? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!**


	7. Squabbling Again and Again

**XXX Squabbling Again and Again XXX**

Isla del Sol. Island of the sun. Legend told true indeed. The island was by no means of great size, normal size to the Bahamas really. Looking upon the island, the bright vibrant Caribbean colors came through. Greens and browns and white sand beaches lined the kaleidoscope of sea blues. Ahead laid a port and not a very busy port at that. Two ships were anchored and resting along two of the three docks. Beyond that was a small town. Every building faced east toward the sea. In its entirety, the town was one mere street in length lining the east coast of the island.

The landscape behind the town was lush. Large hills moved upward and rolled gently. Green palm trees and lush tropical rainforest occupied most of the island. Perhaps legend did not tell so truthfully after all. How was it the sun shined on that little town when it was at the base of a hilly landscape?

Jack shrugged his shoulders. Lily did speak true when she admitted it was beautiful. Between the sea, sand, brick, and white painted buildings against the landscape, just the right amount of civilization to an island gave it a part uninhabited feel. He knew it was not inhabited worth truly anything. The island was not charted on the map.

Of course. As island that only few stumbled upon by happened chance was the opportune location to keep a certain chest out of certain hands. Isla del Sol was a perfect location to keep Elizabeth and her son safe from the Navy while keeping the chest safe. He wondered just how civilized and boring Elizabeth's life had become. Once a daughter of a governor and having to attend social gatherings and events weekly become a single mother on an uncharted island had to cause her boredom. Surely there was something she saw about that island Jack was missing.

"Can we go? Can we go?" pleaded Lily, tugging on her father's arms.

"Patience. Patience is a virtue," said Jack.

"You have no patience so why do I have to?" said Lily.

"Lily, one must learn patience while being a father," Jack told her.

"I wouldn't mind living here," admitted Gibbs.

"Boring," said Jack with a wave of his hand.

Jack, Gibbs, and Lily climbed from the ship and onto the dock furthest to the left. Behind them, Angelica slowly followed.

"Why is _she_ coming?" Lily loathed.

"Because," began Jack. "Because."

"Jack, before we take part on this venture can we inquire where that delicious smell is coming from?" wondered Gibbs, his nose high in the air.

Jack himself set his hand over his rumbling stomach. He had a particular liking for spices and all he smelled was spices in the air. Something about an island cooked meal with fresh meat and fruit sounded appealing. He hadn't had a real, fresh meal in months. Agreeing with his hungry companion, he intertwined his fingers with his daughter's and walked ahead of them into the town.

A tavern and a few necessary shops were all that the town consisted of other than a few houses. Blacksmith shop. Clothing shop. Book shop oddly. Toy shop. Carpentry of course. The largest building of all was the tavern. Sea Cat was its name. It was both a tavern and in from its two level appearance.

Hardly worthy of Tortuga in Jack's mind, but it was cozy nonetheless. The wood was all new and in one piece. Windows lined nearly the entire lower level of the right portion, allowing natural light during the day. Inside, tables were scattered about in no particular fashion. The back wall was one long bar serving drinks of all sort. In fact, there were two sections to Sea Cat. The tavern was on the right portion and the Inn on the left. A balcony circled three of the four walls leading to the upper dining area. Sturdy stairs allowed patrons access to both levels. A large iron chandelier hung in the center of the room.

A smile did widen across their four faces. The smells were coming from Sea Cat and they walked right back to the bar to order food. Had Lily not demanded they sit up on the second level and eat while looking at the ships, they would have made it back there. Instead, Jack left Angelica and Gibbs with Lily while he went to fetch four drinks.

He wandered down the stairs again and to the bar patiently waiting. A man with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes welcomed him. For a moment, Jack's head tilted to the side as he looked him over.

"You look familiar," he noted. "Have I threa—met you before?"

"You don't look so familiar to my eyes," said the man.

Jack cleared his throat at his near mistake of his usual Jack Sparrow greeting. "You remind me of someone I once knew. She was the daughter of the Governor of Jamaica. Elizabeth Swann I believe her name was."

"Elizabeth Swann was my cousin. My name is Thomas Swann and this happens to be my island," said Thomas.

"I thought you looked a bit like her," noted Jack. "And why, may I ask, makes you say this is your island."

"I happened upon it, built a home, built this tavern, and a few sailors hence made it home as well," explained Thomas. "Can I get you anything?"

"Oh," said Jack. He scanned the menu written before him. "Three ales and one glass of coconut milk with a bit of lime squeezed into it. Mind my inquiry, what is that delicious smell?"

"That would be our famous spiced honey ham served up with a fresh fruit salad and peanuts," replied Thomas.

"I'll have four orders of that," said Jack. "My, uh, family and I haven't had real food in months. A friend of mine told me of this here little island."

"He must be loyal friend then. I don't know too many men who dare share this island's location," said Thomas.

"Cuzin Thom-as!"

Jack cringed at the child who came shouting up to the bar. He rubbed his sore eardrum.

Thomas handed Jack three ales then turned his attention to the child. "Wills, how many times do I have to tell you no yelling when I'm working?"

Jack both choked and inhaled his breath of air. His head whipped to the boy seated beside him.

The child's hair was light brown and waved below his shoulders. His eyes were a warm, golden brown. That smirk. He knew that smirk on those lips. The nose, the ears, the eye shape, the smirk it all reminded him of someone he was just speaking to a few days ago. Even the wine colored tunic he wore and the dark brown trousers reminded him of someone. But the necklace, the necklace around the boy's neck was a lively giveaway. Black cord secured a large red bead, a coin, a glass blue sea turtle, and a large shark tooth. A shell was tied to the left side of the cord along with a miniature key the size of half his pinky. So, the necklace had been added to. The sleeves to the tunic were rolled to his elbows. When the child turned and looked upon him, the most beautiful smile widened across his lips.

"I'm Wills," the child said.

"Yes you are lad," Jack breathed. He looked the child over again. "You have nothing of your mother but the hair. That smile is exactly your father's."

Wills' face brightened as he shifted himself to face Jack wholly. "You knowed my father?"

"Aye, I _know_ your father lad," said Jack with a laugh.

"You can't know Daddy. Daddy gone," said Wills, his person slumping and becoming sad. The smile faded.

Jack's heart sank. He even looked like his father when he was saddened and upset. Yet, there was a question on mind. "Wot do you mean your Daddy is 'gone'?"

"Before I born, something happen to Daddy. No one see him again," replied Wills.

"Then you're father is dead?" wondered Jack, attempting to figure out what it was the boy's mother had told him of his father.

"No, no, no," Wills said, shaking his head. "Mum no say he died. She always tells me he gone. Never died. I ask people what gone mean. Some say died and some say gone means gone. Uncle Alex say he gone, but maybe come back someday."

"Curiosity, who is your Uncle Alex?" wondered Jack.

"He Daddy's little brother," said Wills.

Jack waved his hands in front of his face. He shook his head. "Will doesn't have a brother," he said to himself. "And if he did then why did he never tell me?"

"Daddy's name was Will yes," said Wills. "Uncle Alex think of my nickname. My name William too and Daddy's name was William too. So, Uncle Alex say since both us named Will and my Daddy's name was Will and I liked to being called Will and since I'm a lot like Daddy, Uncle Alex say I'm Will's with 'postrophe. Take 'way 'postrophe leave Wills. Wills stuck so everyone calls me Wills."

"What does this Alex look like?" asked Jack, having an idea just who "Uncle Alex" was.

"Curly dark brown hair. Brown eyes like mine. He's really, really tan. He looks likes me. Well, he looked like his brother a lot I guess," explained Wills. "It's really, really odd. Uncle Alex only come one day a year and, and he only stays until sunset and he never leaves his ship or the dock. I think he afraid of the sand. He come on my birthday every year. 'Pparently it's what his big brother would have wanted him to do. He promise me he find my Daddy and bring him home someday."

A smile widened across Jack's face. Curious, he had one more question. "Do you have a grandfather?"

"Mm hm," said Wills. "His name Aidan Teague. He Alex's father."

"So your grandfather's name is Aidan Teague and your uncle's name is Alexander Teague?" asked Jack.

"Yep, and Grandfather has really, really blue eyes," added Wills.

That was it. Jack's arms flopped onto the bar and his forehead fell onto his forearm. His back trembled as he burst into laughter. He couldn't keep the amusement inside of him any longer. Will, all this time, was there for his son's birthday and he was using the name Teague knowing full well Jack Sparrow's name was not Sparrow but Teague. The amusement that his best friend was using his name was more than amusing; it was downright hysterical.

Jack went from between laughing through his teeth to trying to conceal his laughter only to blast it out of him again. He lifted his head to breath and was compelled to grab onto the bar so he did not fall off of the stool. He was never going to let Will live it down ever.

"Ahem, Jack, food," one Joshamee Gibbs reminded. "Angelica's going to kill me if I don't bring back food."

Jack struggled to inhale, as his laughter was still consuming him. Just to get it out of him, he let his forehead slam against the bar again. He hadn't laughed like that in years, not since he saw what his drunken father was like four years ago. His fist beat into the table as he continued roaring with laughter.

"I no know what so funny," said Wills.

Upon looking at the child, Gibbs' eyes widened as his mouth dropped. "Mother Mary of God. You look like your father."

"I know," replied Wills with a smile.

"You have his smile," noted Gibbs.

"Yep," replied Wills with a single nod.

"You nod like him," said Gibbs. "Where's your mother?"

"Yes Wills, where is your mother?" wondered Thomas.

"Working. I got hungry," said Wills.

"Speaking of food, your food is here sir," said Thomas.

Jack raised his head from the wood. His kohl lined eyes were dripping with tears of laughter running down his cheeks. Breathing, providing the much needed air for his pounding heart, he inhaled quickly and deeply. "Oi, my stomach hurts." He laughed a little as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. "Thomas is it then? What happened to Miss Elizabeth Swann."

"She and her father died when they were returning to England. Ship was attacked. No survivors," replied Thomas.

"All right, what has become of Mrs. Elizabeth Turner who just happens to be this lad's, Wills Turner his name is, mother?" wondered Jack.

Thomas dropped the mug on the floor shattering china around his feet. He whipped his head around. "Who the hell are you?"

"You don't remember me mate?" asked Jack. "I threatened you before. Thomas Swann. Spanish Florida. I stole your lunch."

"_Sparrow?_" wondered Thomas, his face twisting into a ridiculous expression.

Jack waved his hands in front of his face shushing him. "I don't use that name anymore. Teague. It's Jack Teague these days."

Another outburst of laughter erupted from Jack and Thomas fought to keep his composure. He suddenly understood what began Jack's laughing fit. Choking, he let a few laughs out of him and simply nodded his head.

"Wills, why don't you take Jack and his family home? I'll tell your mother where you are when she comes looking for you," suggested Thomas.

"Okay!" cried Wills.

"Oi, Lily, Angelica, we're eating somewhere else!" called Jack.

"But I'm hungry now!" Lily whined from the balcony.

"You can eat along the way," said Jack.

He saw Angelica give Lily a gentle push forward. Impressed that Angelica touched his daughter politely and gently and in a motherly fashion, he raised an eyebrow and watched them walk down the stairs. Saying nothing, he nodded his head.

"Come on!" said Wills, grabbing Jack's and Angelica's hands and leading them out.

"Who is he?" wondered Angelica.

"This is Wills Turner. Will's boy," said Jack.

"Oh," replied Angelica.

Young Wills Turner led the four traveling companions to a dirt path that lead into the tropical jungle. He was careless to the sights around them, as he did live there.

Everyone else found their lunches grew colder and colder as they ate them. Large, lush palm trees rose into the sky, their leaves intertwining with each other creating a thick canopy above. No blue sky was visible. There were occasional patches through the green forest where the leaves allowed the sun to shine down. The diffused sun through the green canopy above darkened the path yet procured a golden glow on all natural elements. Everything became more vibrant because of that glow. Macaws and other tropical birds flew above them, their wings becoming louder as they flew overhead then flapped away. Each monkey that swung from branch to branch caused the wood to creak and pull. Little bugs chirped; some sounded in rhythm and others were just plain annoying. Wings flew all around.

At one point in the path, they had to pass over a stream. The little stream tripped and fell over every stone calming the soul. Jack made note of the small picnic area across the way complete with a bench carved from a large wooden tree trunk. When he asked the child, Wills told him it was where his small family spent most of their days. They had picnics and lessons and sometimes napped in the little grassy area. There was no more beauty than right there. The canopy above opened allowing the sky blue to shine down. Rays of pure light shimmered through the Caribbean mist. Animals and plants passing through the light became more vibrant and glowed. The few fish in the pond became iridescent and every scale was visible.

Walking through the path was exactly what Jack needed. No words were spoken by any of them and he finally felt at ease. His thoughts did not want to think apparently. They too were enjoying the Caribbean. All at once, he found he was not in the Caribbean, but in a safe haven that took his thoughts from him. When he forced himself to think what to do with his daughter, he found he was distracted with the flapping wings or talking monkeys. Not even the monkeys were causing him distress. One even sat on a rock and watched him pass by while eating a banana.

He looked all around him then upon Angelica. His heart fluttered and he felt a few macaws were suddenly flying around his stomach. It just so happened when he turned his head to look upon her, the canopy above shifted and let down a ray of sunlight. Her body was graced by Heaven's light. Yet, he found she was in need of something. She needed sparkle and shine about her. What she needed was a diamond or two. He was a firm believer that every woman should have a diamond and all evidence was around his daughter's neck and in her ears.

Wills tugging on his hand pulled him along. Apparently the best was about to come.

When the path finally narrowed and even out from the ascent upward there came an opening in the canopy of palm leaves above. Jack saw what appeared to be a wooden porch and he smiled. He was beginning to understand why Elizabeth didn't mind the uninhabited island. As they walked further and further to the opening, Jack felt envious of Elizabeth.

Being a Swann and therefore noble, Thomas wasted no money with the construction of his home. Like it should have been in the Caribbean, his house was constructed of natural wood. Yes, his home had the Colonial feel, but it also had the native bungalow essence. Three levels high it stood and stretched outward quite a distance. Thatching was nailed to the roof of the house, but Jack did see the sturdy wood beneath.

Jack was first led inside since Wills had an apparent liking to him. He completely understood why Elizabeth was happy on her island. The back entrance was connected to front entrance by a hall that extended throughout the center of the manor. Passing everything in the manor by, Jack's feet led him to the front entrance. He walked onto the tall grassy fields then stood at the edge of the gently sloping hills before the hills dropped flat forming sheer cliffs.

West.

Warm moisture came to Jack's eyes. Elizabeth lived on the west coast of Isla del Sol high atop the center of a large cove. The surf gently echoed from the rocky cliff walls. Once every ten years, those cliffs would protect a husband, wife, and their son. The island wholly would keep wandering eyes. Hardly inhabited on one coast and protected by towering cliffs on the other coast was the most opportune location for the Turners to meet once every ten years. Only certain few would see the green on the horizon and they all lived at that manor.

"It's so beautiful," Angelica softly said from beside him.

"It's what she needs and what he deserves. She needs the seclusion and peace of mind and he needs a place to come to once every ten years to forget everything," said Jack. "Although, he does spend a few hours here once every year on his son's birthday."

"And this, this is my favorite place," announced Wills. "I always watch the horizon. Uncle Alex tells me to keep a weather eye on the horizon. He says he'll find Daddy and when he does he make sure I'm watching him come home."

Jack couldn't resist but to set a hand on the boy's back. There was much he wanted to admit to the young four year old, yet knew there were reasons the child did not know. He was grateful Calypso was allowing Will one day a year for just a few hours to be with his son and he knew she allowed because he was dedicated to that which he was charged with.

"If you knowed Daddy, do you know where he is now?" wondered Wills.

"I know he's out there somewhere lad," Jack told him confidently. "You'll see him _one day_."

Wills nodded. "What are your names?"

"I am Jack," said Jack. "This is my good, loyal friend Gibbs. She is Angelica and she's tagging along. And this young lass here, this is my daughter Lily."

"She looks like a pirate," Wills said.

"That's because I am," stated Lily.

"Do you have your own ship?" asked Wills.

"Someday I will," said Lily.

"I have four of them," Wills told her showing four fingers and a thumb.

Jack couldn't help but to tuck the lad's thumb against his palm, correcting his mistake.

"You do not," said Lily.

"In my room," Wills said.

"Daddy, may I inspect these so-called ships?" asked Lily politely.

"Go on then," said Jack, shooing her away.

"Race you!" Wills cried and suddenly took of sprinting.

"You cheated! You got a head start!" said Lily.

"Pirate!" Wills called.

Jack chuckled and let his head fall back, raising his face towards the sky above. He inhaled then turned to Angelica. "I want a son."

Gibbs cleared his throat and decided it was best for him to leave. One of two options would arise. She would either begin arguing with him or he would have to keep the children's eyes away from the tall grass for fear Jack and Angelica would be occupied with themselves.

* * *

><p>"And really bad eggs!"<p>

"Drink up me hearties yo ho!"

"Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!"

Jack smiled as he swirled his glass of wine in the palm of his hand. There they went again. Both Lily and Wills had been singing the song all afternoon and he sat on the veranda on the cushioned sofa all afternoon sipping wine from the bottle seated on the small table beside him. He had his boots and stockings kicked off. Since the doors were mostly shut and creaked a bit, he had a short warning when people were to approach. Seeing as he had that warning to heed, he unbuttoned his tunic finally. His chest was once against exposed to the sun. The scar was pale and obvious against his bronze skin, but it did look better than he thought.

Content, he sipped the red liquid then laid his head back against the sofa. His eyes shut and he sighed. Simply lying in the setting sunlight, he swirled the liquid in his one hand and stretched out his legs more. He had to admit it did feel absolutely delightful to be rid of his heavy, hot dreadlocks and ornate knickknacks and trinkets. To be a normal man bathing in the sunlight with his glass of wine and the ocean surf in the distance was brilliant.

"_Jack!"_

"Mm hm," Jack sighed. His eyes snapped open and he whipped his head around. "_Elizabeth?"_

Elizabeth Turner stood with one foot on the veranda and one inside her house. Jack was impressed that she hadn't aged a day and the only difference to her face was the look of natural motherhood. She was dressed as she always was wearing a figure forming dark blue bodice, white tunic, and long dark blue flowing skirt. Her feet were bare and her bangs were pulled behind her head with the rest of the light brown hanging loosely, but beautifully around her shoulders.

The hand that was not holding the wine pulled his tunic and waistcoat over his chest as nonchalantly as humanly possible. She apparently hadn't taken note of that just yet, as she was still eyeing him up and down with wide eyes and a low mouth.

"Well, Elizabeth you look good," Jack said.

"Oh my God. Jack, who got to you?" wondered Elizabeth, concerned and shocked.

Jack shrugged. "A combination of being wanted dead by King George and my father changing my appearance. It's a long story Elizabeth. We'll be here for the next five years if I explain it all."

"Sum it up," demanded Elizabeth folding her arms across her chest and raising her eyebrows.

"To sum it up then," said Jack. He opened his mouth to speak then raised a finger. "I can't even sum it up Elizabeth. Does Jack Sparrow getting into trouble sum it up well enough for your questioning mind?"

"Yes!" replied Elizabeth.

At last she approached Jack. To her surprise, Jack set his wine on the table, quickly buttoned his clothes, and turned with open arms. "I embraced Will as a brother so I may as well embrace you as a sister?"

"You've seen Will?" wondered Elizabeth.

"Who do you think told me where you were luv?" asked Jack.

Elizabeth merely smiled. She accepted Jack's light embrace. It felt wonderful to be near Jack Sparrow again, feeling right or not and he didn't feel right to her. Being a mother, she felt something was troubling him. She learned to trust her instincts with matters involving feelings and Wills taught her how to read into it.

"Jack, I know you. What's wrong now? Something is terribly wrong. You completely change your image and you don't feel like the Jack I remember," noted Elizabeth.

Shaking his head, Jack inhaled through his teeth. "I need a favor to ask of you. Can you keep an eye out for my daughter?"

Elizabeth's face paled as her mouth once again dropped and eyes widened. She blinked and gazed upon him with no words. Her head leaned forward. "Daughter?"

"Lily-Rose is her name. She's been playing with your son all afternoon," said Jack.

"Daughter?" was all Elizabeth managed to say.

"Look, that long story short, Anamaria and I had a fling that left us with a child and she died and I've been Lily's mother and father for the past three years. Lily was never intended, but I love her more than I love the _Black Pearl_ and freedom and if anything happened to her I would never forgive meself and I'm not sure if I want to take her with me or keep her with you."

"You have a daughter," noted Elizabeth.

"Yes, I bloody have a daughter!" Jack cried frustrated. "In fact there she is."

Elizabeth turned around and squeaked. "Yep, that's your daughter."

Lily looked at Elizabeth oddly then shook it off. "Daddy, I want one of Wills's ships."

"Why?" wondered Jack.

Lily held her arms outstretched from shoulder to shoulder. "It's that long." She raised her palm to her waist. "It's that tall and according to him they float on the water."

"Will makes them for Wills' birthday every year," explained Elizabeth silently. "He has four of them all modeled off of real ships."

"Daddy, I want the _Black Pearl_, but Wills won't let me have it," said Lily.

"Excuse me," Jack said to Elizabeth then took off in a hasty walk.

He followed the sound of a singing four year old's voice up two flights of stairs and down a long hall into a large room. When Lily gave him the dimensions of the ship he though she was exaggerating. Nope, the ships that were on the floor were indeed miniature boats.

Wills looked up from on his belly as he was rearranging people on the deck of the ship. "She not have _Black Pearl_. My favorite ship. Uncle Alex made it for me for fourth birthday."

Jack slumped to his knees in front of the toy ship before him. Black cloth sails. Twine rigging and lines. Soft, dark wood. French doors. Not a crack in any of the wood. Not a speck of dust. Yep, that was his ship. He gently reached a finger onto deck and touched the wheel. A smiled widened across his face when his finger spun the wheel.

"Oh, oh, oh, watch this!" cried Wills. The child unlatched a hook from the bow of the ship and pulled the ship into two pieces, the left hull of the ship acting as a doorway. "Uncle Alex carve inside ship too."

Tears came to Jack's eyes. Everything was right there. Little hammocks were lined up. Small shelves. Tiny little metal balls were in a net. Little toy cannons were positioned correctly. Stairs and hatches connected the levels together. The captain's cabin was complete with a table, chairs, cot, and small pieces of cloth for a rug.

"Are you okay?" wondered Wills, his little eyes noticing the tears in Jack's.

"Aye," Jack said, blinking the tears away from his eyes. "I once sailed on the real _Black Pearl_ with Captain Jack Sparrow. Looking at your ship here reminds me of those good days."

"You knew Captain Jack Sparrow?" asked Wills with huge eyes.

"Aye," said Jack. "Once."

"He was in London!" cried Wills excitedly. "Some say he was gonna be hanged and, and some say he was getting people to join his crew! I wanted to go so I could join crew, but Mum said no."

Jack pressed his palms to his face and his head shook back and forth. "I'm going to kill her meself," he said through his palms.

"Mum?" wondered Wills.

"Angelica," replied Jack.

"I like her. She was playing with us," said Wills.

Jack lowered his fingers to below his eyes. They were narrowly peeking over the tips of his fingers. "Us. Like you and Lily us? Or you and your imaginary friend us?"

"Lily and me," replied Wills. "Lily not like her much, but I do."

"Lily-Rose!" Jack called.

"Aye Daddy?" said Lily, skipping into the room.

"Was Angelica playing with you?" wondered Jack.

"Yes," Lily said with a scowl on her face. "I don't like her Daddy and she doesn't like me. She's trying too hard to like me and I think she wants to use me for something because she's trying so hard. She wouldn't be trying so hard for me to like her if she didn't want to use me as leverage for something that benefits her and not me. It's like you told me, 'never trust someone who tries too hard'."

"Yeah, I did tell you that and I stand by it true today," admitted Jack.

"So I'm not going to trust her," said Lily simply.

Grumbling, Jack swung his legs out from underneath him and sat cross legged on the floor. He realized he may have put himself in a sticky situation. There was something nagging in the back of his mind that told him Angelica was trying to prove her love to him through Lily. She must have thought having Lily's approval would also earn his approval as he was so keen and kind to remind her Lily was always his first. But, being his daughter, Jack taught her what to make not of when testing a person's trust and true reasoning. He never meant for Angelica to literally try proving her love to him, but Angelica was on the right line. One simply had to go in with his daughter before going in with him because Lily wasn't going anywhere.

A soft knock on the door signaled Elizabeth's arrival in the room. "Wills, wash up for dinner. We're eating now."

"Okay Mummy," said Wills. "Is Jack staying for dinner?"

"If he would like," replied Elizabeth.

"He would like," said Jack nodding his head rapidly.

"Good, Thomas made enough food for all of us," said Elizabeth.

"Like that spicy ham creation of his he served earlier?" wondered Jack with a hopeful gleam in his eye.

Elizabeth smiled. "Perhaps."

"That was really good," said Lily.

"Lily come wash with me," Wills demanded as he took her hand.

"Oh, um, okay," said Lily, as she was dragged out of the room.

"I think William is in love," noted Jack, amused.

"He's taken already Jack. Sorry to inform you," said Elizabeth.

"As in betrothed or friends?" wondered Jack.

"Friends," said Elizabeth hastily. She weakly laughed. "I'm not betrothing any girl to my four year old son. No, Katie and her parents moved here over this past summer. She thinks my son is the most annoying, disgusting filth ever to walk the Earth."

"Said that did she?" wondered Jack.

"Pretty much," replied Elizabeth. "Wills thinks she likes him. He thinks Kate hitting him all the time means she likes him so he purposely upsets her. It's a game for him to torture her and make her mad. Instead of crying about it, she hits him and he laughs. More than once have I had to pull them away from each other."

"And what do her parents think of your William's Wills?" asked Jack curiously.

"He's a very odd little boy who has his head buried with pirate stories and legends," replied Elizabeth. Her face twisted into wonder and confusion. "I don't know if they like him or not, but I do know they find him amusing."

"I think Wills already has found his wife," noted Jack.

"Please don't say that," Elizabeth pleaded. "He's just four years old. He doesn't even know his uncle is his father. I don't want to think of him being married off because I know it'll happen sooner than I think."

"Come, come luv; I'm only playing fun," said Jack, griping her shoulders tightly.

Through their conversation, they walked down to the dining room. Like all décor in the manor, the dining room was as Caribbean bungalow, hut as the natives. The table was made of boards of wood. Wicker constructed the chairs; cushions were on the seat for comfort. The wicker chair backs formed a curve to cradle the human back. A simple lacy tablecloth covered the table. China plates and only two of each eating utensil were placed on the table. Two cups were constructed of wood; five wine glasses were provided for the adults. Large doors were opened across the room allowing the warm evening breeze to flow in. A simple chandelier was secured above the table for light should dinner go well into the night. The room itself was quite open and comfortable.

Dinner was brought out by Thomas himself. Jack stood over the ham as Thomas walked across the room until he altogether relieved the other man of the tray to walk it directly to his seat.

"Daddy, I'm hungry too," said Lily, taking residence in the chair beside her father.

Both of them grabbed a fork and pulled pieces away.

Wills watched them for a moment then shrugged his shoulders. He took his fork and ran around the table to sit on the other side of Jack and eat like them as well.

Elizabeth silently laughed to herself. "Jack, when was the last time you ate something good?"

"Months," replied Jack.

"I noticed," said Elizabeth.

"Jack, can you for once act civilized. This is not your home. Behave," said Angelica as she and Gibbs walked into the room.

Hearing another woman's voice, Elizabeth curiously turned her head. A woman near Jack's height stood in the doorway looking at Jack shaking her head. Her dark hair and complexion was of Latin blood. The light Spanish accent to her voice was beautiful. For wearing a sailor's attire, her figure was flattering to her person. Hurt was in her eyes as well as anger. Her eyes were like Jack's in that regard.

Elizabeth turned from the woman to Jack to see Jack rolling his eyes at her. A smirk widened across her lips as she looked between the two. "Jack Sparrow, is there something you want to tell me about this woman?"

"Her name is Angelica and she is anything but an angel," said Jack.

"You are the worst pirate there has ever been," stated Angelica.

Gibbs sighed heavily and groaned. He slumped into a chair and pressed his palms against his face. "Will both of you please stop with the bickering?"

"She starts it," Jack told him flat out.

"You go with it," reminded Angelica.

"I'm defending my name," said Jack.

"Jack Teague is nothing grand to defend. If your daughter wouldn't have changed you maybe you would still have Captain Jack Sparrow to defend," said Angelica.

"Will you stop blaming Lily for everything? I know you're jealous. I get it. Enough with the hating Lily."

"Will _you_ stop using Lily as an excuse for everything I do that upsets you?"

"Lily is not an excuse. She is what makes you so very upset that upsets me."

"Well, it's a good thing we're leaving her here then isn't it?"

"I'm beginning to think I'm going to take her with just to irritate you."

"Ha! You being alive is irritating enough as it is."

"We're both going to have extended lives Angelica."

"Jack, I think I may I put that doll to use and take away all your years."

"Don't you touch my doll!"

"You gave him to me."

"Apparently you love me."

"Apparently I don't anymore."

Gibbs gave a great shout as he slammed his fists onto the table. He stood on his own two feet with a force that toppled the chair behind him. "JACK! ANGELICA! SHUT YOUR GODDAMN TRAPS! Excuse my foul language Miss Elizabeth I apologize for that. William, do not say that word. Jack! Angelica! All you two do is argue and bicker with no end. I am sick and tired of listening to the same squabble again and again.

"Jack, Angelica loves you but ye hurt her more deeply than any wound. Ye broke her heart. Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. You should know that. You trust her with your life but ye can't trust her because you taught her everything you know. She's like you Jack; she'll use whatever leverage to get what she wants. Hello, Jack, she used your good name to get you to her. She spared your life how many times. She's still here with ye Jack, fighting to save your life because she loves you.

"Angelica, Jack won't ever admit this to ye so I'll just tell you; he is scared to death. He literally, legitly, completely has a split personality. I've seen it. Sometimes Captain Jack Sparrow takes over his mind and other time John Teague takes his mind. He cannot control it and he never has been able to. That year in the Locker caused his personality to split. Jack Sparrow loves you Angelica more than he can handle. John Teague loves his daughter to death. Jack Teague, what Jack is and in fact a combination of the two, knows one of those personalities will become permanent. He's got more at stake than he can handle. Angelica, I've seen Jack breakdown to tears twice from Shipwreck Cove to here. He cannot do this alone.

"You two are going to kill each other if ye keep this up. You have got to talk with each other. Learn what happened to each other. Understand who ye two are. Talk. Screaming and bickering and arguing is getting ye nowhere. There is more misunderstanding than understanding between you two. Sit down and talk. Please, I'm begging you two. Jack, ye know you're like a son to me. Angelica, you're the most wonderful woman I have ever met. If you two would just talk, Jack, I know your personalities will settle, and Angelica, you'll get the family you've always wanted. You two are that match made in heaven as everyone desires, better than Will and Elizabeth. Everyone sees it. Open your eyes to the new world. Talk. _Please_."

Uncomfortable and frightened, Lily looked at them then pushed her chair back. She sprinted from the room whimpering.

Seeing there were tears on his daughter's face, Jack sighed and stood. "Lily-Rose," he called as he chased after her.

Unable to look upon anyone, Angelica quickly turned on her heels and walked to the opposite hall Jack did.

Thomas cleared his throat. He shrugged his shoulders and reached over the table to cut himself a piece of the ham. There was absolutely no reason to let his good food go to waste.

"Joshamee, explain," pleaded Elizabeth.

"I'm afraid I can only tell ye what I know lass," said Gibbs as he sat his chair upright again. He grabbed her hand and patted the back of her palm gently. "I'm so sorry I snapped here especially in front of your son in your own home."

Suddenly remembering Wills, Elizabeth shut her eyes. She knew how Wills hated shouting directed to him or not. Shouting frightened him. She tilted her head under the table to discover her son sitting under the center of the table. His legs were hugged to his chest and his face was buried between his knees.

"Done yelling?" he softly asked.

Gibbs tilted his head under the table too. "I'm sorry lad. I'm done."

"Scared?" wondered Wills.

"Aye," said Gibbs with a nod. "Come here young William."

Surprisingly, Wills did uncurl himself. He crawled out from under the table and stood beside Gibbs cautiously.

As if he was the child's grandfather himself, Gibbs lifted Wills into his lap. He left an arm around the boy's back and piled a plate of food for the child. The plate was set in Wills' own lap. "I apologize for yelling and frightening you. I swear I am not the Devil. Jack is like my son and Angelica is growing on me. I am concerned for them. Sometimes when people are concerned and frightened for something he or she cares about he tends to blow up in not the best of places."

"Like when Mum yelled at me and spanked me for playing on dock early morning?" wondered Wills.

"Exactly," said Gibbs. He smirked and pointed a finger at Wills. "You're definitely your father's son; you're a smart lad."

Wills nodded. Comfortable again, he settled himself in the sea dog's lap then wrapped his little fingers around the fork. He stabbed a huge chunk of meat then bit off of it with his teeth. His little legs swung back and forth as he smiled up at Gibbs.

"Josh, you have a heart of gold," said Elizabeth.

"I may be a smelly, worthless old sea dog, but I have a thing for children," admitted Gibbs.

Wills pressed his face against Gibbs' chest and inhaled deeply. "You no smell bad."

"Wills," Thomas laughed.

Young Turner lifted his arm and sniffed himself. His nose wrinkled as stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I smell bad."

"Then I'll just have to give you a bath later won't I," said Thomas.

"I guess so," said Wills.

Gibbs chuckled. "Like every good sailor he despises baths."

Wills nodded his little head.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes with a soft smile. In fact her son did not despise baths. He rather enjoyed his baths. Most the time there was more ships than his body in the water and half of the time he would lay his little butt naked body on the wood to play with his bath toys in the water. She had a small private smile to herself when she recalled Will playing in the bathtub with Wills when Wills refused to bathe after playing in the mud on his third birthday. Will was involuntarily forced to hang around his first mate's neck as he was hauled to the washroom because Wills refused to bathe if his father wasn't. She had to lower her head to hide the satisfied smirk when the image came to her mind of her boys playing in the tub after the opaque bubbles had all dissolved into the clear water.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**always, reviews make my heart golden with joy!**

**well, here we have Mrs. Elizabeth Turner and little Wills Turner, old and new faces. Angelica and Elizabeth will have woman to woman time in the next chapter and Jack and Elizabeth will have a lovely chat discussing the matter of children.**

**all right, here is where i need opinions from you fellow readers. this story is going to become much, much longer than this, as there is much, much, much more to come. would you prefer if i kept it all one large story or break it into different parts? i am unsure if it should be one or multiple parts. which would you prefer?**

**so, questions? comments? concerns? likes? dislikes? one part or multiple? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!  
><strong>


	8. No Idea

**XXX No Idea XXX**

Watching his child sleep like he always delighted doing, Jack sighed softly. He hoped Elizabeth didn't mind that he set up a room for his daughter without permission. For the record if Elizabeth was going to keep one, he chose a room that was quite dusty and appeared hardly unused.

A candle in the corner provided a comforting light to his weary daughter. She was wearing one of her father's tunics as Jack had discovered she ran back to _Tristan_ to hide. He chased after her the whole way back to the ship and was never able to catch up with her until she was on the dock. There, he finally told her about the Sword of Cortés and that he had to cut his hair and change who he looked like because he was a wanted pirate. When he showed her one of the posters, she almost immediately understood what it meant. Screaming, she ripped it into pieces then threw the pieces out of the window. Her little arms clung around his body pleading with him not to leave her with Elizabeth and to take her with him. She didn't want to wait for someone to announce Jack Sparrow was going to be hanged.

Jack and his daughter sat in the main cabin of _Tristan_ for over an hour weeping and holding each other closely. His own eyes were sore and tired from weeping with his daughter. After Gibbs admitted his fear to the rest of them, he knew he could no longer hide the truth from his daughter. He was afraid. He was more afraid of what he had to do to stay alive than when he was fighting the Kraken and Davy Jones. Before, it was him against a single enemy. Now, it was him against himself, the Spanish, the Navy, Barbossa, a doll, and life itself. He was terrified. He was afraid. Gibbs spoke true when he said he was scared to death. Being scared was something Jack hardly felt. Ever since the creation of his daughter, he became more and more in touch with his emotions.

Lily-Rose was lying on her right side. Her legs were curled against herself tightly for comfort. Her little chubby cheek was pressed into the pillow. The once braided hair was pulled out and fell loosely over her shoulders and pillow. Both arms were tucked against her face, the left above the blanket. Part of the tunic was bunched in the palm of her hand and that palm was pressed against her nose as if she wanted to inhale the scent of coconut and lime. It was as though she wanted to pretend her father was always going to be right there if she could have something that reminded her of him. So small. She was curled so very tightly against herself, trying to comfort herself.

Beginning to feel himself breaking again, Jack breathed deeply. He lifted his face toward the ceiling and compelled himself not to blink no matter the pain. A hand reached down to pull a lock of dark waves from her face. His palm cupped her cheek while the thumb caressed the skin.

Light coming from the doorway approached him as soft footfalls came closer. "She's beautiful Jack," the light said in the form of Elizabeth.

Jack softly cleared his throat as if no emotion or distress was present and nodded. "Yup."

"Can I talk to you?" whispered Elizabeth. "About children and whether or not to leave her here and what to do with Angelica? Josh told me all he knows."

"Yeah, we need to talk," said Jack.

"A walk on the beach in the moonlight?" suggested Elizabeth.

"Aye," whispered Jack.

The father leaned his torso over his daughter to gently kiss her forehead. "I love you" was whispered in her ear before he kissed her cheek. He gingerly removed himself from the bed not to disturb his child and followed Elizabeth out of the room.

Mrs. Turner led Jack Teague toward the cliff. She walked down a hill then onto another dirt path. Jack was astonished to see there was in fact access to the cove below. A combination of stairs and a smoothed rock path was carved into the face of the rock. Torches were fastened to the cliff wall providing safe light and that light spread just far enough apart that when the shadow began to fade in front, light cast the shadow backward.

Jack trudged behind her silently and with his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to do with his daughter, yet knew what he should do. It was right to take her with him, but smart to leave her there. His father raised him to be a man who did what was right. Teague always told him it was best to do right as long as it felt right in his bones. Right was never smart but it was always right so why did he feel concern and worry when he told himself Lily was coming with?

"So, you and Anamaria then?" began Elizabeth. "I thought she had feelings for you. That look in her eyes said all."

"It was just a fling Elizabeth," said Jack.

"A fling that left you with a child," reminded Elizabeth.

"Yeah, yeah I know, I know," Jack told her waving his hands in front of him.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Jack. More people than we know are with child before marriage. I once lived in noble society. At my young age I caught on to more than I should have. I once believed betrothals were the result of a woman being with child before marriage," said Elizabeth with a laugh to try to cheer up Jack.

She watched him turn from the straight path they were taking and veer down the dock. He was drawn to her cousin's ship _Horizon_. She was expecting him to walk on board the ship and make a smart comment of how horrible it was compared to his _Black Pearl_. Instead, Jack stood at the very edge of the dock for a moment before seating himself on the very last board. His head was straight to the western horizon gazing at the very last fluorescent glow of the sunset.

Elizabeth moistened her lips as she set the lantern on the dock then quietly approached him. She too sat and swung her legs back and forth above the water below.

"She hates it," said Jack.

"Who?" wondered Elizabeth.

"Lily, she hates everything luv. Her mother is dead. Her father is never around. I have feelings for someone who isn't her mother—"

"Oh, that's why Lily doesn't approve of Angelica," noted Elizabeth. "Mr. Gibbs and I were wondering why Lily disapproved."

"That's only one reason," said Jack, turning to her. "There's more."

"Tell me," said Elizabeth.

"I'm sure you know of Aqua de Vida and Angelica and I and Angelica being former Blackbeard's daughter and the nasty connection to the doll and Hector with the Sword of Cortés and the Spanish and Navy chasing my tail," said Jack while making a count on his fingers.

"And your split personality," added Elizabeth.

"Common knowledge luv. I've always had a spilt between me brain," said Jack.

"So, then all this time Captain Jack Sparrow has been but an act for the world?" assumed Elizabeth.

Jack turned his head to her slowly. He leaned back away from her as an expression of wonder and disbelief passed across his face. Slowly, his head shook from side to side. "I cannot believe you believe Captain Jack Sparrow was just an act luv? Honestly, I was not acting. There is only one me no matter how many Angelicas impersonate me. You see, if I am but an impersonation then I am not Captain. But, if you hear of _Captain_ Jack Sparrow then you know that is the one and only _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. And should young Wills Turner decide he has the desire to serve under me when he's older he'll be given full duties as quartermaster."

Elizabeth smiled. "Good to know the Jack I remember is still in there."

"He's always in here luv," said Jack, tapping his head. "Why do you think I got into this mess in the first place?"

"Now, children. What do you want to do with Lily-Rose?" wondered Elizabeth.

"I want to take her with me," Jack told her confidently. "But I know I shouldn't. I say it's right as rain to take her with me, but it's smart as paint to leave her here. What would you do Elizabeth? You have a son. Imagine this." He scoot closer and wrapped an arm round Elizabeth to pull her into his body and clasp her shoulder. His other hand was out before them as if painting the picture for her. "It's six years into the past and all of you are a coming to save me for your own ends and not because you missed me. You and William had a child who just happens to be named Wills and is four years old. You know very well true the perils that await you to search for me. You have to choose between leaving him with someone you trust or taking him with. Which would you chose?"

"First of all," said Elizabeth, peeling Jack's fingers from her shoulder. "If Will and I had a four year old child when you happened to fall in with Davy Jones that would have made our child three years old when you happened to stumble in Port Royals. Secondly, Jack, Will and I would have been married. Thirdly, Will and I would have never met you because we wouldn't have been in Port Royal."

"Where else would you be?" wondered Jack, wrapping his arm back around Elizabeth's shoulder.

"_Will_," began Elizabeth, shoving Jack's arm from her person. "And I would have been living in the Bahamas like I am now on an island similar to this. It's what we spoke of during the year of our engagement."

"Nope, can't picture it," said Jack.

"And yet here I am living on an island unknown to the world," said Elizabeth.

Jack raised both forefingers. "But here you are living on this island uninhabited to the world while handling duties as Pirate King and Lord of Singapore. Elizabeth, honestly, I am going to be Keeper of the Code in the future and I am Lord of the Caribbean still. I am expected to."

"All right, all right so my life isn't anything like Will and I planned our lives would be six years ago," admitted Elizabeth.

"Let me just state I had no idea me life would be like it is seven years ago," said Jack.

"So Lily did change you then," Elizabeth said.

"Yes," replied Jack.

"Then do you want to settle down and raise a family or continue to pirate?" wondered Elizabeth.

"First of all, the only settling down I'll be doing is on my ship," said Jack.

"Then you'll have to shrink quite a lot," noted Elizabeth.

Jack grumbled and slumped wholly. He rolled his eyes. "Fortunately, your not-so-eunuch-of-a-husband told me how to revive the _Black Pearl_ from her entombment in the bottle."

"I'm sorry Jack. I couldn't resist," said Elizabeth.

"Neither did Will," said Jack. "I'm saving my amusement so it is directed towards Hector when he sees the _Pearl_ in a bottle."

"He doesn't know?"

"Wot? Did Mr. Gibbs not inform you of the one-rum-legged man?"

"No, he told me. I simply assumed he knew the ship was in a bottle."

"No, fortunately he does not know."

"Oh, and to answer your question from earlier, Jack, I know Will and I would have taken our son with," Elizabeth told him. Seeing Jack's face pale and eyes shut with regret she quickly continued. "And I'll tell you why. Four years and seven years in age is quite a difference. Wills wouldn't understand why we left him and he would want to go everywhere with us and he wouldn't understand anything. He's too young to leave with someone else. Lily is seven. She will understand everything that happens. Every battle, every injury, ever little mistake or anything that goes wrong she'll understand and take to heart. Taking her with and having her watch will change her forever. This venture will haunt her dreams and her very soul for the rest of her life. I know you want to take her because you love her and you can't bear the thought of something happening to her while you're not there to be her father and comfort her.

"Jack, you want to take Lily for your sake. You want to know where she is, what she's feeling, to see her smile and laugh, to dry the tears if there are any, and to simply hold her in your arms. You want her for _your_ comfort. Jack, taking her with may comfort you, but it will destroy her. She'll see things she shouldn't. She'll grow up right before your eyes. Lily already acts and thinks beyond her years. Bringing her along will destroy what childhood she has. She may your daughter Jack, but she is a seven year old child. Think back to when you were eight and your father left you. Being abandoned caused you to grow up just like that. Being forced to see what she should not will force Lily to grow up. You hated your father for most of your life while trying to get him to be your father. Lily will hate you for taking her with. What she doesn't understand now she'll ask in the future and you will have no choice but to explain.

"I know those tears in your eyes are tears of pain because you know you have to let your seven year old daughter go. It hurts I know. It's hurting Will more than he'll admit to me to play that he is Wills' uncle. To hear Wills dream of meeting his father and telling Will what he thinks his father is like kills him. I have more letters than I ever wished to know of Will telling me to move on and find another man for his son's sake. He loves Wills enough to let him go. You, Jack, you love Lily enough to have her witness all evils of the world so she does not have to live without her father as you did. Taking her is the right choice. Sometimes, a right choice can be made for the wrong reasons. It's smart to leave her here with me because it's right. For once the smart choice is the right choice. Lily will be safe here. She has plenty of children her age to play with and she'll never have to hide her father's pirate heart. I won't let anything happen to her."

"It's not you I worry over Elizabeth. I know you'll not let another finger touch her," Jack said softly. "It's Lily. She is my daughter as me as a female can be. If Lily was a, uh, Leo for example, my son, he would be a miniature reincarnation of me with his mother's snappy temper. That temper just happens to be all Lily got from her mother. Lily told me she wanted to come with me. When I say something I mean it. When Lily says something she means it as well. You know me luv, have I ever gone back on anything I said to you or Will or anyone in the world? No. It may have taken drastically unusual methods and more than time than you peoples may have foreseen, but I always followed through while benefiting my own needs. Lily, Lily will wake up one morning and decide she wants to find me and she'll go off to find me."

"I'll just have to keep a keen eye on her then won't I?"

"'A keen eye'. '_A_ keen eye'? No, no, no! You're not understanding me at all luv. You can't keep '_a'_ eye on her you need to keep both eyes on her. She's me Elizabeth. Do ye not know me anymore Elizabeth? I'm rash. I do what I want when I want no matter what as long as it does not partake in the lives of other people."

"Jack."

"Lily, Lily will get up one morning before all of you civilized people of nature and stowaway on a ship. Aye, my daughter is smart enough to know where to hide on a ship. She'll hide near the food, but not directly in it because she knows she'll need to eat sometimes during the day and the more traveling a stowaway does the more traveling risk there'll be of being caught. Do you know what they do to stowaways? Do you? They maroon them or keelhaul them. And Lily is a female. Do you know what men do to women? Seven years old or not, Lily still comes equipped with the same girl mechanics all females does only on lesser scale. They'll still do it to her because she is still a female and they're men who probably haven't had much in their miserable lives."

"Jack!"

"There is a perfectly good reason I let Da chop off me hair and make me look normal. The Españols are after me. They know either Angelica or me is immortal and they are searching down Blackbeard's daughter and the Sparrow. The '_Sparrow_'. Hello? Elizabethy, they know they are after Jack '_Sparrow_'. They know what I look like too. Why else would I let Da do this to me and change me name to Teague? I haven't gone by the name Jack Teague, among certain compelling circumstances, since I was seven years old. Do you know how many years ago that was? Too long for me to like to admit to you luv."

"Ja-ack!"

"If Lily should run into the Spanish, and knowing my terrible fortunes in this so called new world, she will run into the Spanish. She'll look them right in the eye and say 'Hola, I'm looking for my father Jack Sparrow. Yes, the one and only _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. Perhaps you've heard of him. Everyone has. Did I mention I'm his daughter?" Oh yes Elizabeth that's just what needs to happen. And those Españols will look down on her and think 'leverage-a'. They'll use my daughter as leverage to get to what they want, and that being the one of us who drank from the waters. I'll have no choice but to admit I drank from the waters in which case I'll lose both Angelica and Lily or I'll put Angelica's name forward and in that case I'll lose Angelica but not Lily."

"JA-ACK!"

"I'll admit it Elizabeth. Things never would have worked out between us because I love Angelica. I've always loved Angelica. Little flings are nothing compared to a relationship. Aye, Angelica and I had a relationship and she is the only woman, female, of the opposite sex—which we never did go as far as because of her Catholic, religious statures of marry then bed of which I had no care for—that I had a relationship with. Anamaria was a fling. Scarlett and Giselle were multiple flings which never did end up with us in bed; alls we did was just light cuddling. Lucille was a fling and I'll admit that French woman could kiss. Rosella and I flung together because that woman won my stomach with her Italian cooking. Li and Lang were twins Elizabeth. _Twins!_ Yes, those were the two who always hung around Sao Feng and that was his great insult. I happened to fall into his female bathhouse years ago and had a go with several of his women including the twins and apparently they liked me better than him. I dunno. I guess that's why he hates me. But enough about me and my past flings. I cannot choose between Lily and Angelica. I love them both and I don't if I can trust Angelica because of what I did to her or if she is using me. I am blinded by love Elizabeth and I just don't know what to do. Lily—"

_SMACK!_

The sharp pain seething through his body from his jaw, Jack found his words and the wind were knocked out of him. His jaw was completely knocked to the right side of his face and ached already. The throbbing was an indication bruising was already setting in. Softly moaning, both hands reached upward to correct his jaw. He breathed deeply as he pushed his jaw from the right to the left and back. Not allowing further movement to his nearly broken jaw, he cupped his palm around his face and turned to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was gingerly rubbing her knuckles. "Has anyone ever told you you can rant like no other?"

"My father, Ana, Lily, Hector mentioned it, Billy, I think Davy Jones noted my ranting was the worst punishment a man could sit through. You," replied Jack. He rubbed the bone. "Where did you learn to hit like that?"

"I'm a woman Jack. It is naturally bred into women to smack hard," said Elizabeth.

Jack nodded his head.

"Look," said Elizabeth with a gentle sigh. "Leave Lily with me. You know I can look after her and if something happens I'll call Will who will do all he can. I know he will. I agree with Gibbs. You and Angelica must talk. I know she loves you too. I saw it in both of your eyes at dinner."

"I know she loves me, but confessing love is not something easily done by me," said Jack.

"Talk to her Jack. Apologize to her. Treat her like a woman. Fall in love with her all over again. Get her a diamond or two. Women love diamonds," Elizabeth said. She held out her left hand. "Example."

Jack choked as he leaned forward to clutch her hand. There on Elizabeth's left ring finger was the largest diamond the pirate had seen recently. The diamond was by no means tall, but it was large, taking up half of that knuckle portion of Elizabeth's finger. He had to admit it was done quite tastefully and not gaudy like most noble women wore. For the huge diamond it was, Elizabeth wore it simply.

"May I ask just where you got this?" he asked.

"Will," replied Elizabeth with a giggle. "Isla de Muerta to be exact. The island was reclaimed by the sea after all, take 'sea' how you will and he and his father collected a few treasures."

"I want Will to get me a diamond," said Jack.

"Lily has enough," said Elizabeth.

"Not for Lily. Angelica doesn't sparkle and shine. She needs a diamond or two or three or more," replied Jack.

"Jack, you're a good man," said Elizabeth.

"No evidence to the contrary luv," whispered Jack so only she heard.

Two friends sat quietly in the comfort of each other's presence for a little while longer. When Elizabeth noticed Jack rubbing his face and moving his jaw about, she had to take pity on his wound and lead him back up to the manor. Along the way, like with Angelica, Jack sought an opportunity to get a little frisky with Elizabeth like he used to do. He merely kept his arms tightly around her chest acting as though she gave him a concussion as well as his vision was blurring out as he walked.

It wasn't long before Elizabeth had to laugh at him. He was behaving like the Jack she remembered and told him to quit acting and just walk. After his spoil was through, Jack did walk normal and with an arm around her shoulders. She never admitted to Jack that she did feel comforted when he had a protective arm around her.

Delightfully, Jack was presented crushed ice and a towel for his bruising jaw. He settled himself in the parlor on an oversized arm chair with the ice on his jaw and glass of "medicinal" brandy in the other.

In the corner enjoying a small glass of tea, Gibbs kept a wary eye on Elizabeth. When Jack Sparrow was down with ice on his face and alcohol in hand after having come back with Elizabeth, he knew that woman had a punch in her like no other.

Once Jack was settled, Elizabeth went on a small hunt for one Angelica. She had to have needed her counseling more than Jack. Who knew how long it had been since Angelica spoke with a woman? Woman to woman talk was what that woman was in dire need of. Just by her male appearance, Elizabeth knew she was losing her femininity. The search was not long, as she was beyond the door where light spread out into the hall.

"Angelica, it is Elizabeth. May I speak with you?"

"Sí."

"Um, the door is locked," noted Elizabeth.

"Oh."

Shuffling blankets came from beyond the door before footfalls approached. The lock was turned and the door opened. Angelica invited her in the room then locked the door again. She sat on the bed where she was before waiting for Elizabeth to walk forward.

Taking in this woman to understand her better, Elizabeth eyed her up and down. Angelica's complexion was of Latin blood as expected to match her accent. Her eyes, as noted before, were full of hurt and burdens and sadness. She wore kohl around her eyes like most sailors. Beside her on a chair, a tunic and pair of breeches were thrown over the back and an under bust corset was hanging off the side. Boots were in a pile below the chair. The coat that hung on the closet door was one that much reminded her of a male pirate, dark colors and simple.

On the bed, Angelica sat wearing a long male's tunic. She kept the buttons opened low down to her breasts, yet keeping the necessity covered. One leg was crossed beneath her while the other hung down the side of the bed. Her dark hair was matted and snarled. The length was all over her shoulders and back as though she cut pieces as they got in her way. No sparkle or shine was present. No female touch was to her other than the natural female body.

"I'll be right back," said Elizabeth with a shake of her head.

In a moment's time, she returned with a pile of formed cloth over her left arm and a basket in the other. The cloth was placed on the bed and she rummaged through until she found what she was looking for. She stepped back and held forth a nightgown towards Angelica.

"It's cotton and no it's not mine. I make clothes for a living," she said.

Angelica merely looked at her then the cloth. "I don't have time to change clothes Elizabeth. A sailor cannot have night clothes when sailing on a ship. Attacks happen at all times of the day and night."

"When I was on a ship for over a year, I managed to find time to change clothes at night into something more comfortable and bathe and brush my hair and I had someone evenly cut my hair for me and someone ensured that I was still treated as a woman," said Elizabeth. She threw the cloth at Angelica. "You are a woman. Put it on."

Disgusted, Angelica looked at her with a glare.

Elizabeth turned around with a huff. "Angelica, a woman would not lock a door unless she was naked. I am a woman too and I'll admit I still lock the door when I want to lay on my bed naked just to embrace being a woman. There are times I still look in a mirror at my bare body to be reminded that I am a woman. During that year I went sailing to rescue Jack from the Locker, I stole the large mirror from the cabin to keep in my little quarters just so I could look at my bare body when I forgot I was a woman. It happens when you are stuck on a ship with all men."

"And I have forgotten what it is like to speak with a woman," admitted Angelica softly.

"So did I," said Elizabeth as she peeked over her shoulder.

She saw Angelica was sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in the nightgown. The nightgown was very simple. Loose sleeves hung down to her elbows. The cloth was gently forming to her torso, but nothing tight or very low cut. Beyond her torso, it simply flowed down to her ankles.

Seeing just how uncomfortable the young woman looked, Elizabeth sighed. She sat on the bed and crawled behind Angelica. Her fingers brushed Angelica's long dark hair behind her back then began untangling the knots.

"So, talk to me. I am a woman and you need to speak with a woman now and then. I just happen to be a woman who knows the mind of Jack Sparrow as well," she said.

"Not as well as I once did," said Angelica.

"Gibbs told me you two were once engaged," said Elizabeth. "I know the exact feeling of your wedding day ruined. I had to wait another year to marry Will from the date we chose."

"How did you know Will was the one?"

"I've known Will since we were children. We were childhood friends and then separated. Fate brought us together again. He took his father's surname and gave himself a new life. I can't explain what makes Will the one for me. Every time I looked at him I felt like I couldn't breathe. There were times I'd call his name just so he would come closer and hold me. Even when we weren't talking to each other I would still stay close to him and him by me. He thought I loved Jack and I couldn't tell him I murdered Jack, but we still stood by each other. We never did tell each other what happened, but we always trusted each other and loved each other. I was upset and angry with him, but I still loved him. One day I was glaring at him for not telling me what he was planning and the next time I saw him we were talking like nothing happened. You can't explain it. You just feel it in your heart and bones. Our wedding consisted of Barbossa marrying us during a battle. I wanted a proper wedding. He got his eager wedding."

"Perhaps Jack is right. Perhaps it was me who wasn't ready to marry. I believed I was."

"How old were you when you planned to marry?"

"I was nineteen at the time."

"I wasn't ready to marry when I was nineteen."

"I was in love though."

Elizabeth began gently brushing through the dark hair piece by piece at a time. "As was I."

"Were you ready on your wedding day?"

"I was so very ready to be married."

"I think I was. I was unsure and afraid though."

"As was I. Angelica, marrying is an enormous rite of passage. It is frightening. Even being so ready I was afraid."

"I'm beginning to think Jack knew I wasn't ready so never came. He probably stayed behind, left me at the altar for curiosity what I would do when I got back to him. I found him just sitting there waiting. He wasn't even wearing his wedding clothes. He was just sitting there with his arms on the arm rests and one ankle on his knee wearing just trousers and an unbuttoned tunic with a glass of wine in one of his hands. Ow!"

"Sorry, you have more knots than I thought back here. And it seems to me Jack is good at reading into a person. He has that ability to read into a person's soul it seems. He knows exactly what is wrong, but won't admit it. He'll wait for the troubled soul to figure it out themselves and only provoke to get it out, which he always does."

"You know Jack better than I do."

"Jack is a mystery that not even he himself knows. I think you should downright ask Jack why he didn't marry you that day. You won't know unless you talk to him as Gibbs suggested and, from what I can see of the two of you, there is deep, passionate love and fear. And, meaning knowing Jack better than you, I'm not blinded by love."

"So you're saying that we do love each other?"

"You do. He loves you and you love him, but you're letting your thoughts and pasts get in the way. Jack told me he's had many flings before in the past, but he only ever had one relationship and that was with you."

Angelica smiled to herself. She bit her lower lip as the smile widened. If Jack Sparrow was saying she was a "relationship" and not a "fling", that had to confirm Elizabeth's words that he loved her. She knew Jack enough to know what he said was true. He never lied, but only ever said he did.

"Has Jack always seemed like he had a divided mind to you?"

"I've only known him for seven years and personally been with him for perhaps a month or two. From what I have seen, yes. Jack is a mystery as I seem to continue mentioning. He has this image of being the greatest pirate alive, yet he's a good man. What makes him the best pirate is the good man in him. He never harms anyone. He always follows through. What he says is done. Sometimes he was the pirate around me and other times he was a good man. And you, what was he like when you knew him?"

"One person. Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Explains enough."

"It's amusing how when explaining Jack, people just understand with the explanation of 'he's Captain Jack Sparrow'," noted Angelica with a laugh.

"And those who know him personally see past that name and look upon a good man who is struggling to figure out himself," said Elizabeth. "Now, I'm going to even out this hair of yours. It'll be a little shorter."

Angelica shrugged her shoulders. She felt piece of hair pull then loosen against her back as she heard scissors. One more question loomed in her mind. "What do you think of Lily?"

"She is her father," said Elizabeth. "In every imaginable way possible. Growing up without him for the first two years of her life then having both parents for two years and then only having a father is very similar to Jack's past. She understands more than we think. Believe me; children understand more than we let ourselves believe. Lily is just as grand a mystery as her father. She won't let anyone in. Jack taught her well."

"A little too well. She hates me."

"And I know why."

Angelica slowly moved her head forward to pull away from the scissors before the two sharp points came together. She wholly shifted her body to the side to look upon Elizabeth. Her eyes were looking upon the young mother with desperation. "Why?"

"You're not her mother and you have romantic feelings for her father," replied Elizabeth.

"I've never told her I have feelings for her father," said Angelica. "In fact I've done nothing to that little girl to cause her dislike toward me."

"Have you and Jack argued with her around?" wondered Elizabeth.

"Not directly around her. I'm sure she's heard it," replied Angelica.

"I'm sure she has to by the manner Mr. Gibbs shouted earlier. She didn't seem happy when she ran out either," noted Elizabeth.

"I may have said some inappropriate words of her to Jack," admitted Angelica softly. Her head bowed low. "I'm jealous of Lily. I feel as though I've told everyone that I'm jealous of Lily. Jack loves her more than me."

"As he should," Elizabeth told her loudly. "Any father should love his child more than anything."

"That must be another reason I why I am able to admit I despise Lily. Her father loves her more than she knows. My father drank from the chalice he thought contained the tear. He was going to sacrifice my years for him. Jack knew it and so he falsely told him which it was."

"After my mother died, any woman who approached my father and made him smile I immediately felt hatred toward. She was not my mother and only my mother was to make my father happy. It was years before I accepted another woman causing a smile to widen across my father's face."

"I don't have years to wait for Lily to accept me and I refuse to force myself away from Jack because she does not approve of me."

"I hate to say this Angelica, but if you are to love the man you must befriend the child. Talk to Lily tomorrow before you leave. Learn a bit about her. She seems like a sweet little girl who is caught up in her father's struggles. Tell her how you feel about her father. Explain why you feel haste near her."

"And tell her that it was her creation why I hate her? Tell her I hate that she was born because she changed Jack? Explain to her that she is the glass bottle keeping Jack imprisoned? The _Black Pearl_ is not the only item entombed in a glass bottle. Jack is trapped in a bottle. Lily is that bottle. She caused him to become civilized. She created this bottle around him that he cannot seem to crawl out of. Because of her, Jack is struggling to discover who he is. She caused his mind divide. Jack is trying to figure out if he wants to be a father knowing he must settle down or continue to pirate as he has always done and be free."

"And you like the free Jack Sparrow you remember?"

"Yes! When caught up with Jack again, I made the comment to him he hasn't changed. He reminded me exactly of the Jack I remembered. And when he returned to me after I cut into the doll, he was changed completely. I saw it while talking with Captain Turner. He mourns that Anamaria and blames himself for what happened. He does anything Lily wants him to and she knows it. I saw Jack civilized with his daughter. He had a tea party just to satisfy her. He gave her a bath and then played guitar with her and held her as they slept that night. Whenever she calls his name he turns from what he is doing to answer her call."

"Angelica, he's a parent. A parent's worst fear is failing. I fear failing Wills of being his mother. Jack fears failing his daughter. He fears she will not love him for what he has done. He already fears Lily hates him because her mother is dead. He wanted to take her so she didn't have to live like he did when he was her age, alone and without his father who he knew was out there."

"_She_ changed Jack too much."

"For the better. Jack grew up. Jack learned responsibility. And it wasn't just Lily. When we rescued Jack from the Locker, there was always a constant state of fear in his eyes. After he made Will Captain, I know he promised himself he would never forgive himself. Jack made a mistake and created a child. He fathered that child and intended to become a father to that child because he knows exactly what it is like being abandoned. I have the feeling Jack does want to stop with being Captain Jack Sparrow. He's been at it since he was eight years old. Who knows how old he is these days?"

"He is forty three," replied Angelica. "I do not know how these extra years happen upon age, but if they stop your age process wholly then he is forty."

"I thought he was much younger that," admitted Elizabeth.

"Jack ages remarkably well. He always has. When he was younger he appeared older. Between you and me, Jack truly didn't need extra years to keep himself youthful in appearance," said Angelica with a smirk.

"No he didn't," said Elizabeth. "But I will say, I remember him looking younger with fewer burdens bearing him down. It wasn't just Lily. Too much happened to him too quickly. His mind divided because he didn't have time to cope with it and he's been alone for so many years he needed someone to talk to. The Locker didn't help."

"Why does everyone continue saying that? What is in Davy Jones' Locker that makes men go mad?"

"Themselves and only themselves."

"So Jack went mad because he was with himself for so long?"

"Yes."

"It was only a year I understand."

"A year in the Locker alone and most of his life alone. Lily's birth gave him the family he dreamed of. He and Anamaria raised their little girl together for two years and he finally got his father. Jack has always wanted a family. I noted the jealousy on his face when I mentioned Will and I or when he saw Will and I together. As I said, Jack is a mystery, but to discover the secrets to the mystery one must talk to him."

"Speaking with Jack Sparrow is like trying to destroy a wall with a feather; nothing goes through it."

"All right, did you and Jack talk alone at all?"

"Yes, but he was being cute to get what he wanted."

"Did you like him being cute?"

"Of course I did."

"By the red rushing to you cheeks you liked it more than you'll admit to me."

"All right, he's annoying but whenever he had his hands on me, in an appropriate manner, I couldn't help but feel comforted. There was this one night he had a candlelit table, wine, music, and we danced. We tangoed with a guitar in the background while talking. Feelings were definitely rekindling. Eventually we were lying on deck body to body both completely clothed. He'd push me to deck and then I him back and forth. I know he could feel my heart beating because I could feel his. He expressed his care and concern for me more than once. One of his requests when Father asked what he wanted was to ensure no harm would come to me. He jumped from a cliff so I wouldn't have to. He gave my father's years to me so I would live. This is the second time I've realized he's so in love with me and I've done nothing but treat him horribly."

"I've done that as well. Will was the one who finally got me to see my mistakes. It took us a year to speak to each other again, and after we're together I lost him a few hours later. Don't make the same mistake I did. Lily is staying here with me. With Lily gone, Captain Jack will come back and you should be the one to talk to Jack first. He's laid out his love I can see. When you leave tomorrow, give him a few hours or a day and then force him to talk."

"Ha! Jack Sparrow is never one to talk."

"Chain him to a chair and make him listen."

"Have you tried chaining Jack up before?"

Elizabeth sheepishly smiled and nodded her head. "Funny you should ask that because I did. I was the one who forced the Kraken to take Jack and the _Pearl_. Jack and I were a bit of a fling and I may have bought into it. I kissed him while chaining him to the mast of the ship. It just so happened Will saw that kiss and assumed wrong."

"You want me to kiss Jack Sparrow and chain him to a chair?" Angelica asked.

"Worked before and if Jack romantically likes you as much as I think he does he'll like that kiss too. Play into it. Get a little intimate if you know what I mean to get him to sit down and not move until he's properly chained."

"All right, then how do I shut him up?"

"I could name a few ways I know of to shut Will up that would undoubtedly work well with Jack," said Elizabeth blushing as she turned away.

"Elizabeth, you and Will are married and I'm not shutting up Jack like that," Angelica told her.

"Think like Jack and it will come to you," replied Elizabeth.

Angelica gave a nod of her head as she sat with her back to Elizabeth once more. She felt the cutting of hair pull and free on her head and the scissors move on her back from right to left. To have spoken with another woman was comforting. When she first looked upon Elizabeth, she wondered how she knew Jack Sparrow. Her first feelings of Elizabeth were of humble origins and association to Jack by only marriage to Captain Turner. Listening to her and hearing she had gone through similar a situation was rather shocking.

The single mother behind her cutting her hair hardly seemed capable of having known Jack Sparrow as well as she did and fighting in the last great stand. Every pirate knew of that battle. Her father often mentioned it to her; he envied all men who fought. To fight against East India Company apparently began the Golden Age of Piracy. They began what all pirates know to that day as the Golden Age. Although he would have never admitted to Jack Sparrow himself, Blackbeard did admit to his daughter he envied Jack for having been there that day.

"Elizabeth there is more to you than meets the eye isn't there?" wondered Angelica.

"You have no idea," said Elizabeth.

"I'll find out sooner or later with Jack Sparrow," hinted Angelica.

"I am Pirate Lord of Singapore and King of the Brethren Court," replied Elizabeth casually.

Angelica whipped her head around, nearly cutting her cheek with the scissors. "_You_ are Pirate King?"

"Courtesy of Jack," said Elizabeth with a large ear to ear grin. "Just how humble of a woman did you believe I was?"

"I thought you only knew Jack because your husband does," admitted Angelica.

"Nope," Elizabeth told her with a laugh. "I was there during that battle. I declared that battle Angelica. Only the King of the Brethren Court can pass an act of war. Jack named me King and I declared war. The Keeper either sends paperwork or personally delivers paperwork once a year for me to look over and sign before it is written in the Code and recorded."

"I never thought a woman could become Pirate King," said Angelica.

Elizabeth opened her mouth with a smack. "You know something, you need to embrace your femininity on a ship more. You should dress more feminine while on a ship. Men find it more shocking to see a woman on a ship. You, Dear, are more like a man than you are a woman. You and Jack could be unstoppable should you desire. With Captain Jack back at the helm and a woman as his first mate, a true woman, everyone will fear you and envy you. I know Jack will make you his first mate. I am not saying go as far as wearing dresses because I never did, but give your clothes a feminine touch. Flaunt the curves. Behave like a woman."

"I'm sure Jack would just love that," noted Angelica with an eye roll.

"If Jack Sparrow were a woman, he wouldn't hide his femininity. You are the female Jack Sparrow. Think like Jack," said Elizabeth.

"I do think like Jack," Angelica said.

"Then dress like Jack. I know Jack Sparrow will come out a bit in Jack Teague. He'll lose the civilized image enough to bring back Captain Jack. As he feels Captain Jack dominating his mind he'll let himself back into the image. Change with him. Become a woman and Captain Jack Sparrow's first mate. Men fear women with power," Elizabeth told her.

"You seem to know something I don't," noted Angelica.

"About being a woman?" wondered Elizabeth.

"A woman in love fearing for the man she loves and a pirate on the seas yes," said Angelica.

"Let me finish straightening this mess of your hair and I'll get you started. I've got a few ideas for you to help bring Captain Jack Sparrow back into Jack Teague," Elizabeth said with a sly smile widening across her lips. "When was the last time you spoke with a woman?"

Angelica slumped as she sighed heavily with much distress. "You have no idea."

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**well, i must say i enjoyed opening up my email to find it full of reviews today and so i repay you with more to feast your hungry minds.**

**Elizabeth is such a wise person is she not? of course, Jack and Angelica could have figured it out for themselves if they were not wrapped around each other's finger. **

**all right, Lily and Angelica are going to have a conversation in the next chapter and their feelings for each other and reasons why those feelings are present will be explained. Jack and Angelica will finally see each other like they remember and romance will begin just like that.**

**so who do think rants better? comments? questions? things you like or dislike? still not liking Lily or beginning to understand her? again, one very long story or should i break it up into multiple parts? (i still don't have enough feedback to decide) let me know!**

**Happy Readings!  
><strong>


	9. Girl to Woman

**XXX Girl to Woman XXX**

Poke. Poke.

Jack groaned and flopped his head to the other side of the pillow. He didn't want to be bothered just yet early in the morning.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

Groaning again, he batted at the finger poking his nose and buried his face into the pillow.

Poke.

Trying to escape the dreaded nose poking, Jack turned to lie on his side and curled tighter. His left hand groped over his right shoulder searching for the pillow. He felt the fluff and pulled it over his head. Ensuring the nose poking was at an end, he left his palm pressed onto the pillow. It was too early in the morning to be attacked by fingers and he was still dreadfully tired and half awake. Everyone knew to leave him be when he was half awake because he was most likely the crankiest person when roused without good cause.

He felt his arm lifted from the pillow and the pillow quickly removed from his face. Not expecting it to happen, his arm was released and not so gently smacked against his face.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.

Sighing heavily in defeat, Jack knew the dreaded poking of his nose would end only with one motion. He grabbed his daughter's wrist and opened his tired eyes. "Yes, Lily-Rose? You wish to seek something from your tired, wanting to sleep father?"

Lily smiled as she waved her hand with a bright, cheery smile on her face. "Good morning!"

Jack grumbled as he shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Mm hm."

"Daddy, do you have trousers on?" wondered Lily.

Jack covered his face with his palms as he felt a sudden rush of blood flowing to his cheeks. Hiding himself at the memory, he rolled on his stomach to bury his face entirely into the pillow. One of his daughter's first memories was one he wished she didn't remember. He was new at the single parenting business and hadn't been in a bed as being a single parent yet. Before, he was with his daughter and a single parent on a ship with hammocks on a ship. Being on a ship, clothes were an always necessity, for enemies could strike whenever day or night. Being in a bed meant being on land and being on land meant enemies would have a difficult time striking at short notice. Being on land meant clothes were an option. It just so happened that the day his daughter decided to wake him by pulling the blankets from his bed in Shipwreck Cove was one of those days he decided clothes was an option.

He spent the next hour answering his four year old daughter's questions of the male anatomy and why she was different from him. Never before had he been so mortified especially when his daughter started staring and wouldn't let him have his blanket back. Since then, ship or land he wore his trousers to bed no matter if he didn't feel like it or not.

Responding to her question with a yes, he lifted the blanket at his left side. The bed shifted and blanket rustled as his seven year old daughter crawled into bed with him. She gently laid her head on the pillow and pressed her forehead against her father's chest.

Smiling, Jack pulled his arms away from his face to wrap one of them around Lily.

Poke. Poke. Poke. This time, the poke came from the back of his head. Curious, as that was something new to him, he turned his head to peer over his shoulder.

Young Wills Turner's finger was near his head and he was low. He smiled innocently at Jack when he was spotted.

Jack then pulled the blanket upward on the right side. He shifted to lying on his back. Both children snuggled up against him, Lily with her head on her name and Wills with his head on his shoulder. Half asleep and desiring nothing more than to sleep, an arm was set around both children. Yawning long, he turned his head into the pillow above his daughter and felt sleep coming upon him.

The concept of what he was doing snapped in his head as his tired eyes and mind were suddenly awake. He rolled his head to the right side to look at the child who was most definitely not his.

"William, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Pract'cing," replied Wills proudly.

"For?" wondered Jack.

"When Daddy come home."

"For wot?"

"Need to pract'ce lay in bed with him. Poke mean lay in bed."

Jack chuckled delightfully. Will was going to love that. Sleeping in a real bed on land only to be woken by his son poking him. He would hate it and love it at the same time.

"You Uncle Alex family?" Wills asked.

"No," replied Jack.

"You name Jack Teague?" Wills asked.

"Yes," replied Jack with a yawn and his eyes shut.

"Same name Uncle Alex."

"People can have the same last name without being related Little Whelp."

"Me?"

"'Me' wot?"

"Me Wills. No Little W'elp."

"Aye, you're Little Whelp. Your father was referred to as Whelp on more than one occasion."

"Oh, me Wills and Little W'elp."

"Aye."

"Wot mean Little W'elp?"

"Something along the lines of pup and runt."

"Daddy puppy?"

"Sometimes."

"Drool and beg and whine and _bark_?"

"No, William, your father did not bark," said Jack, his rousing laughter gently shaking the bed. "But he did drool and beg and whine at times."

"Why?"

"I'm not getting into that until you're a bit more of a man."

"Why?"

"The topic is not childish."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because, because."

"Why?"

"Because that's why."

"Why?"

"What was your question again?"

"Why?"

"I can't remember?"

"Why?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Why?"

"Why why?"

"Huh?"

"Wot is with all the 'why-ing'?"

"Why?"

Jack smacked his palms to his face.

"That hurt?"

"No it did not," Jack replied because he knew if he said "yes" the child would have questioned why he did it in the first place then.

"Why does he ask so many question?" Lily whispered in her father's ear.

"You were the same questioning person when you were four Lily," replied Jack.

"_I_ did not ask so many questions. _I _was smarter than him," Lily insisted.

"She smarter than me?" wondered Wills.

"Yes I am," said Lily.

"Why?" asked Wills.

"I was born before you," replied Lily.

"Oh," said Wills. "Why?"

Mumbling words that were not words at all and in fact frustrated tones, Jack waved his hands in front of the children's faces to push them back. He crawled from out of the blankets across the bed and stepped onto the floor. He bid the two bickering children adieu with a bow and wave of his arms then quickly made his escape out of the room and down the hall.

Grumbling words of common sailor tongue, he entered the dining room and flopped his head onto the table where he beat it against the wood.

"Angelica troubles?" Gibbs asked.

"Children. Ages four and seven. Curious and bossy," replied Jack.

"I would have dreaded being your father when you were four and seven then," said Gibbs as he raised his mug of coffee to his lips.

Jack repositioned his head so that his cheek was lying against the wood and eyes were looking up at Gibbs with no amusement whatsoever. His jaw was set tight and his eyes in a light glare.

"I merely say what be true Jack," noted Gibbs.

Jack's eyes narrowed as he grumbled again.

Footsteps and chuckling entered the room in the form of Thomas Swann. He passed by Jack and clapped his back with such a force Jack grumbled again. "Captain Jack Sparrow a father. I'll never get over it and you never cease to amaze us do you?" he said amused.

Moving his right cheek from the table to his left cheek on the table, Jack turned to Thomas and explained his reasons. "The child: not expected but delighted. The never ceasing to amuse: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow; people shouldn't be so dumbfounded, heavy emphasis on the 'dumb' if I may add."

"I thought it was Jack Teague," noted Thomas. "And Wills has a few questions for you about the use of the surname Teague."

"I don't think I can survive anymore questions from him," admitted Jack. Thomas opened his mouth but Jack spoke before him. "And don't you dare say 'here's your chance to find out'. Last time someone spoke those words after I spoke similar words of not being able to survive more visits from old friends the world fell apart without me again."

Shrugging his shoulders, Thomas shut his mouth and settled into his chair. He raised an eyebrow as he bit of the corner of his bread.

Poke. Poke. Poke.

"Yes William?" Jack asked.

"Why Lily mad at me?" wondered Wills.

"What did you say to Lily to have her mad at you?" wondered Jack.

"Ask why she have no mummy," replied Wills.

That response caused Jack to raise his head and turn to the curious four year old who was looking at him with huge, wondrous brown eyes.

"She died," said Jack softly with low eyes.

"Go 'way nev'r come back?" asked Wills.

"Yeah," replied Jack.

"Oh. Okay," said Wills.

Jack observed the child as he walked into the kitchen with a little stuffed monkey hanging from his hand. He leaned far over his chair near to the point of falling out had he not had Gibbs beside him to balance him. "Tommy, may I inquire about the monkey."

"That would be his favorite toy," explained Thomas. "Will made it for his third birthday. Elizabeth wrote and told Will how their son adored the Orion Halloran legends and had a liking for the monkey. So, naturally seeing as he has more time than he should have on his hands considering his duty, he bought the cloth and stitched together a little monkey for his son. Just like the monkey in the legends, Wills named him Jack."

Gibbs burst into laughter and clamped both palms around his mouth. With a piercing glare from Jack, he shut right up immediately, but was unable to keep the smirk from his face.

"The monkey's name is Jack in those stories?" Jack asked through clenched teeth and a tight jaw.

"Aye," replied Thomas causally.

"May I ask who owns the monkey?" Jack inquired.

"That would be Captain Rhys Baines, a Welshman who happened upon the monkey during his travels in the Caribbean," replied Thomas.

Jack sighed a sigh of relief. "Good to know they kept the monkey not belonging to me."

"Yes, Elizabeth had her part in helping them with the stories," added Thomas.

"Pintel and Ragetti were here?" wondered Gibbs.

"For a time yes. They helped out for a while. They helped Elizabeth the first few months of young William's birth into this world and in return she began teaching them to read and write, which is how they got the idea to write books for children. Ragetti would sit in town and entertain the children for hours telling them stories about Captain Halloran. Wills owns every book. He's learning to read with them," said Thomas.

"Never pictured Elizabeth to trust them with her son," admitted Gibbs.

"Neither did she, but they clean up well and they love that little boy," said Thomas. "Jack, I've been wondering how they came up with the name Orion Halloran.

"Jonathan Galvyn _Orion_ Teague perhaps," said Jack. "Me father threw in Galvyn, which means "sparrow" in Gaelic. Me mother threw in Orion. She had a thing for the stars and Orion just happened to be her favored picture among them. Jack Sparrow was me childhood nickname and I took it to another dimension. After Mum died, Da strayed away from calling me by both middle names." He shared a small laugh to himself as he set his head in his palm. "It's amusing when I'm addressed as Jonathan Galvyn Teague. I don't think my father truly thinks that through because he's literally calling me Jack Sparrow Teague, a name he made me swear to never address meself. As for Halloran, I used that when Sparrow and Teague were of no advantage to me. The two not-so-dumb-twits put it together and I have to admit I wouldn't mind taking on that name."

"Looks like ye are going to live forever Jack," noted Gibbs.

A sad smiled widened across Jack's face. His immortal years may have been temporary, but he would live through the books. For as long as children read the books of Orion Halloran, his legend would always continue. The name Jack Sparrow would eventually die, but his legend would continue on. He could get used to that idea in a quick hurry.

"If I recall correctly, they have a copy of each legend sitting in a locked chest waiting for the legend himself to come around so they can present it to him," hinted Thomas.

"Already planning on going there mate. I need me old crew back if I'm to keep adding to the legends," said Jack.

"So what legend is the next book going to be of?" wondered Thomas.

"You'll just have to wait like the rest of the world," Jack told him.

"Fair enough," said Thomas.

Standing in the doorway, Angelica smiled to herself. She was one of very, very few people who knew the origins of the name Jack Sparrow. Long ago she and Jack were lying on a beach in the Caribbean, her head on his chest and their fingers playing together. They were alone in the dark on the night of a new moon with the stars brightly shining. It was there when he told her of his true name and how Jack Sparrow came to be. She recalled once or twice when the name Orion Halloran came into her ears when she was not with Jack, yet she was one who knew it was him.

She felt someone looking upon her lowered head and private smile. Quickly, she wiped the small smile from her face and raised her head to find Joshamee Gibbs staring wide eyed at her while poking Jack's shoulder.

"Stop with the poking of the Jack Sparrow!" Jack demanded, waving his hands above his head.

Gibbs pointed a finger in front of him, his eyes never leaving the doorway. "Angelica."

Jack turned his head to the doorway with an exasperated sigh towards both his companion and the knowledge of Angelica's presence in the room. He had enough bothering that morning to last him all week. Yet, when he did look upon the woman he had "stirrings" over, he felt those stirrings suddenly aroused once more.

There Angelica stood in the doorway looking as Angelica-like as Jack did Jack Sparrow-like. She looked like an honest female. Rather than the tunic and corset she stood in a dark crimson bodice embroidered with a shade darker red floral pattern. Silver cord secured the cloth and possibly whalebone object to her body and was cinched in slightly, giving her the hourglass figure men so desired as well as providing lift for her chest. Below, an ivory tunic hung from the center of her biceps and down her arms in flowing layers to the center of her forearms where the sleeves came down to her wrists. Instead of breeches, she was truly wearing a skirt that went down to mid-calf. The color was chocolate brown and flowed with plenty of cloth for movement. Feminine black boots protected her feet. Gold hoops were in each of her ears. Two belts wrapping around each shoulder crisscrossed in front of her torso and behind. The right held a pistol at her side and the left held a sword. About her hips she wore a black sash with silver lining and a thick belt over the cloth for effect only undoubtedly. Her rings remained on her fingers as well as the cross around her neck. The long hair was braided behind her head with a red ribbon also for effect. Looking at her, both men could have sworn there was more kohl around her eyes including on her eyelids.

Jack felt pressure below his jaw shut his mouth and he was compelled to move his hand over to Mr. Gibbs to close his mouth as well. Seeing as Angelica was his girl after all, he removed Gibbs' hand from his jaw so that his mouth could drop open once more.

"What? No drooling?" wondered Angelica with a laugh.

"I think I may be doing that," admitted Jack.

A huge, gold tooth smile widened across his face. He stood from the chair and the smile upon his face became gentle. Angelica watched him approach while his eyes moved up and down on her body. He was not looking her over in an inappropriate manner, which surprised her greatly. He was simply looking at her new appearance. Standing face to face with him, she sighed heavily and tilted her side and arched an eyebrow.

"What?" she snapped.

"You look," began Jack softly. He smiled to himself gently then at her eyes. "Beautiful. I've forgotten wot my Aingeal's beauty was." Unconsciously and letting the thump-thump rapidly sending his stirrings flying around his stomach take control of his mind, his palm reached gently to her face to cup her cheek. His thumb caressed her cheekbone for a moment. "There be a good reason why your name has 'angel' within Angelica. And, to be honest which is something I'm becoming more and more lately to be honest, I'm not saying this to be charming to get something I want because you know wot I want already."

Angelica shuddered at Jack's touch against her cheek. The feeling was once so familiar to her, but now was forbidden by her soul by her own doing. She let no man touch her for fear of hurting her, yet Jack's touch on her face seemed to begin healing her. The comfort soothed her and she rubbed her face into his hand and brought her hand to her face simply to clutch his hand in her own. He even remembered the name he called her; Aingeal was a form of Angelica in Gaelic, literally meaning the same as Angelica. Angel. Many a time had he left addressing her as Angelica in the wind and called her by Aingeal. She was hoping he would once again leave Angelica in the sea breeze.

"I have to inquire. Why the change of appearance?" wondered Jack.

"I cannot look like Blackbeard's daughter any more than you can of Jack Sparrow. They know what we look like and so we had to change our appearance. I don't believe the Spanish are expecting the daughter of Blackbeard to be wandering around in a dress," said Angelica.

"Neither did I," admitted Jack. He looked her from toe to head again and nodded. "I could get used to it." His eyes moved down to her chest as he nodded further. "Truly, I could get used to it luv."

"Jack," Angelica said playfully as she raised his jaw to have his eyes back on her face. "You must get used to this because dresses and feminine attire are all I have now. Elizabeth supplied me well. This dress is hardly a dress; 'tis merely skirt and bodice. Quite comfortable really; plenty of movement. The dress, I'm going to need help with. Apparently a woman fighting battles in a dress will impact men greatly."

"I wouldn't know and Elizabeth has never fought battles in a dress," said Jack.

"She told me that, yet she never had need as I do," said Angelica.

"I'll help you accomplish that task then shall I?" assumed Jack.

"You've fought in battle in a dress before?" wondered Angelica, merely playing fun.

Jack shut his mouth and his eyes narrowed. A forefinger was raised and his head tilted to the side. Words were forming on his opened mouth, but he kept them back with a smack of his lips. He waved his hand in front of his face as he shook his head. "I'm not discussing this with you at this present moment."

"You have?" wondered Angelica amused.

"Another time," said Jack.

"Better include me on that conversation," hinted Gibbs.

Jack turned his head. "Oh, you. Don't get any ideas that Miss Beard is up for grabs by your filthy fingers. She is mine and my first mate. Seeing as it apparently will take two of me to accomplish our little quest, when I am unable to be captain she automatically becomes captain. She knows me better than you do at times Mr. Gibbs. Not to mention, and I'm going to anyway like I did before, I'm quite confident she won't mutiny me."

"Don't be so sure Jack," warned Angelica.

"I know you won't," Jack said over his shoulder.

"And why not I wonder?" said Angelica.

"You love me. You told me yourself remember," reminded Jack with that cocky smile on his face.

"Admit it Jack; you love me to," said Angelica.

"As I told you. Always have. Always will," said Jack.

Angelica began walking forward forcing him backward. She spoke softly and seductively while playing with his loose hair. "Say it to me Jack. Tell me you love me. Say the three words I want to hear from you. You once spoke them to me. I've spoken them to you more times than I should have. Say it."

Jack softly yelped as he felt his back hit a wall. His hands groped behind him searching for an escape as her arms caught him in the web of her body. He ducked his head down as she leaned her head in closer.

"Say it Jack," she whispered in his ear.

Uncomfortably groaning, Jack ducked under her arm. "Now is not the time."

That glare returning to her eyes and her jaw setting tight, Angelica whipped around. Immediately her anger was forced back inside her with all comments she could have said.

Lily stood in the room with her arms folded and taping her foot. Her eyebrows were set in wonder and her lips pursed to one side. "You look good, but I still don't like you and I probably hate you."

"Why?" wondered Angelica.

"Because," said Lily.

"That's not an answer child," said Angelica.

"Yes it is," said Lily.

"No it is not," said Angelica.

"Yes it is!" Lily insisted, throwing her arms to her sides and stamping her foot.

"And there is the only trait her mother gave to her," Jack spoke close to Angelica's ear.

"Oh, and I forbid you from falling in love with my Daddy," said Lily.

"May I ask why?" wondered Angelica.

"Because," said Lily.

"That's not answer," Angelica replied with a sing-song voice.

"Because I hate you!" Lily cried.

"That's it! I have had it with you! You are a little spoiled brat!" Angelica shouted. She stepped forward. "You and I are going to have a talk woman to woman."

"I'm a girl, not a woman," Lily said.

"All right, girl to girl then," corrected Angelica.

"_I _am a girl. _You_ are a woman," said Lily.

"Girl to woman then," said Angelica. She walked forward right to Lily and grabbed the child's arm between her fingers. She felt Lily pulling away and only grabbed onto her harder. "You and I are talking girl to woman no if's, and's, or but's about it young Sparrow."

"I don't want to talk to you! Let me go!" Lily snapped.

Cursing in Spanish, Angelica did what Jack Sparrow would have done. She lifted Lily into the air and threw her over her shoulder. Lily, of course, began kicking and screaming and pounding on her back, yet she walked out with her head held high and a firm grasp around the seven year old.

Jack leaned his body in the doorway until all he knew of his daughter and Angelica was the kicking and screaming and the Spanish temper flaring once more. He raised his eyebrows and turned around with a huge smile on his face.

"You would find that amusing," said Gibbs.

"More than amusing mate. I find it to be rousingly attractive how she grabbed Lily and forced her over her shoulder and walked out with that head in the air. Oh, I'm thinking I have need to have a tantrum of my own so she'll treat me in the same rousingly attractive manner," said Jack while his cheeks turned red.

"Jack, promise me I won't walk on deck one morning or late evening to happen upon you and Angelica engaged with yourselves in certain activities," said Gibbs pleadingly.

"That would be a dream mate," said Jack as he flopped down on his chair beside the sea dog. "I've rather got my doubts Angelica and I will ever be engaged in such activities."

"Religion?" assumed Gibbs.

"Mm hm," Jack grumbled.

"Literally, thank the Lord," muttered Gibbs.

Hearing him, Jack flicked his nose then grabbed the sea dog by the arm. "We have need to do something to me. If _she_ can still look like that then I want to look more like me as I should be."

"I'm following you anyway Jack," said Gibbs.

"Good," replied Jack, dragging him by the tunic.

Still in the room Thomas shook his head at the entertainment before him. He returned to his coffee and morning report. There was no better entertainment than Jack Sparrow and Angelica whatever she preferred to be called going at it with their love, hate relationship. If only there was a means of recording their interactions with each other; they would see how hopelessly in love they were. Although religion did play a heavy part in Angelica's life, he didn't give it long before she gave into Jack's charms. Thankfully, he personally wasn't going to be there to happen upon the two of them while in their engagements with each other. It was not a matter of "if"; it was more a matter of "when" they decided to engage with each other.

Angelica was truly beginning to understand why Jack said Lily was all him. All the way to her room, Angelica had to put up with little fists pounding on her back and avoiding little feet from hitting her in the face. Lily's tantrums reminded her of Jack's; there were no words involved and just a lot of hitting and kicking and grumbling. Being a child however, Lily did begin to whine.

Fed up with the child, Angelica kicked the door to her room wide open. Thinking like Jack and what Jack would have done was he in the same situation as his daughter, she rummaged with her one hand around a chest of clothes and accessories Elizabeth packed for her. A smile widened across her face as she procured a long, thick sash from the corner of the chest. She did feel awful at what she was going to use the beautiful sash for, but times were trying and the need was great.

Lily was plopped on a chair and before she even considered the thought of running away, Angelica wound the sash around her torso, arms, and the back of the chair, nearly wholly covering her torso from her elbows to her shoulders. Struggling as any good impersonator of Jack Sparrow would have done, Lily shifted from side to side, tried to pull out of it, and attempted to jump up and down.

"DADDY HELP!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Angelica set her palms on her knees and bent forward. She spoke to Lily as if she was a toddler. "Jack will come in here, see that no harm has come to you, and nod his head because we need to talk and he knows we need to talk."

Hearing the rushed feet and demanding everything in his path to move, that everything most likely being unmovable objects, Angelica stood straight up and folded her arms across her chest. "Three, two, one."

Right as the last number came out of her mouth, she presented her hand toward the door just as Jack Sparrow came bursting through. Panic and alarm throbbed in the vein pulsing in his neck and in his gasped breathe.

"Huh?" he questioned, looking between Angelica and Lily. "Wot the…?"

He pointed from his scowling daughter to an amused Angelica over and over. Both forefingers pointed to the two of them. He stepped forward to observe his daughter's stress and pulled at the sash.

"See, Daddy's going to get me out of here," said Lily.

"I'm not getting you out of anywhere," said Jack.

Lily's mouth dropped as low as her jaw allowed as she cried out in frustration. "Don't leave me here with her."

"You two need to talk and I like Angelica's methods of keeping you in one place," said Jack with a laugh. He turned to Angelica. "Perhaps you'll have time to tie me to a chair today?"

"Jack, you'll not want me to tie you to a chair," said Angelica.

"Do tell," Jack said as he stepped forward so he was face to face with her.

"I'm not giving you that satisfaction," said Angelica.

"Then you intend to do things to me while I'm tied to a chair is it?" assumed Jack, slowly raising his hand to her face.

Angelica looked at his hand then grabbed his wrist. She flipped him around and pulled his right wrist down his back until he squealed. "Don't even think of it Jack."

"Let him go!" demanded Lily.

"Shut up!" Angelica snapped.

"No!" Lily cried.

"All right," said Angelica.

Still with Jack's arm held hostage behind his back in a painfully twisted manner, Angelica walked back to the chest. Jack followed while kindly reminding her his arm was stretching across his back. Paying no attention to him whatsoever because he deserved his pain and his immortal years meant no true harm to him, Angelica rummaged through a small box of ribbons. Satisfied with her find, she stood suddenly and whipped around. Still grasping onto Jack's arm and his inability to read her mind, her sudden movements caused him to off-balance.

His one arm flailing to keep balance, he leaned forward. Unfortunately, Angelica pulled down and he abruptly found himself twisting around and colliding with Angelica's body. Both of them fell to the flooring, her laying halfway on her back and him on his stomach on top of her.

"What is going on in here?" wondered Gibbs as he entered. He groaned and turned his head. "Jack, in front of your own daughter?"

They couldn't have fallen more perfectly or imperfectly depending on the point of view. Angelica's back was lying flat against the flooring and her legs curled to the side. Both arms were to the side. Jack's right arm was still twisted behind his back and the other fell across Angelica's shoulder. He was lying halfway on his belly, his legs curled to the side and torso flat against Angelica's.

Jack groaned as he raised his face from the center of Angelica's fleshy breasts. His face was cherry red and he felt the hot blood rush from his toes to his face. His eyes were halfway squeezed shut and his nose was wrinkled. Attempting to regain his dignity and honor, he breathed hot air on the cross then polished it on his tunic before laying it flat on Angelica's skin. Clearing his throat, he daintily pulled her bodice to cover more of the skin then flattened out the wrinkles.

"Soft landing though," he admitted.

"Get. Off. Of. Me," Angelica told him through her teeth. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling not daring to look upon Jack.

"Oh-kay," replied Jack with a high voice.

He pushed his palms flat on the flooring then pushed his torso upward. He swung his legs off of her body then stood. Remaining calm as though nothing had happened, he tapped his forefinger on his jaw and looked around.

"Daddy, what is all this supposed to mean?" said Lily, her fingers pointed to her chest and swirled about as if drawing. "It doesn't look like my tattoo; it looks like someone cut you."

The blood of shame immediately sunk back to his toes as his face when ghastly white. He heard his daughter's distress call just as he was trying to combine clothing for Teague and Sparrow. There was no clothing covering his torso. He folded one arm across his waist and pressed the palm to his other arm against his chest.

"I think it best if you and Angelica talk now," he said.

"Tell her to let me go!" Lily cried.

"No, Lily, she's on to something there and I may just have to instate that when you're older," Jack said.

"Daddy!" whined Lily.

"Just talk to her," said Jack

"Dad-dy! No!" Lily cried, determined.

Jack turned around. His eyes were soft and pleading. His eyebrows were high and his face was low. "Please," he pleaded softly.

"'Kay," whispered Lily softly, as she slumped and lowered her head. "I'm sorry I made you sad."

Sighing heavily, Jack turned again and walked to his daughter. He untied the knot from behind the chair and unwound the sash from his daughter. Rubbing his daughter's arms between his palms sent blood back to her limbs. "You and Angelica need to settle a thing or two so I don't have to worry over anything while I'm away."

"Do you love me more?" asked Lily.

Jack kissed her forehead. "Always and forever luv."

"Okay, that's all I wanted to know," said Lily, joy returning to her as she sprung right back into herself.

"Don't give her a hard time," said Jack.

"All depends on her," said Angelica.

"I was talking to Lily," stated Jack as he stood straight. "But it does imply both of you. Mr. Gibbs, shall we resume?"

"Jack, if this is a preview of what I have to deal with I'm just going to call this little island home permanently," said Gibbs.

Jack waved his forefingers back and forth in front of his chest. "This was a mistake."

"What is the likelihood that a man falls on a woman and his face just happens to mistaken fall right there on her?" wondered Gibbs with an arched eyebrow.

"It happens more times than you would think mate," admitted Jack. He began leading him out. "It's even been known for me to fall like that into wooden signs of women."

"Somehow I believe that," noted Gibbs.

"It did. Just ask me father about the Captain's Daughter," said Jack.

"The pub or literally the Captain's Daughter?" wondered Gibbs.

"That's a whole different story itself mate."

Angelica shook her head as Jack's voice was not quite yet out of her hearing distance with his last few words. Her lips pursed as she walked to the small balcony and leaned her folded forearms on the rail. The rest of her body leaned forward. She thought if Lily wanted to talk to her then the child would approach her, as she did come to the conclusion she was being rather rude to her. If Lily truly didn't want to talk to her then she would understand.

But, to her relief, the seven year old did stand next to her and fold her arms on the rail and rest her head on her arms.

"You know I love your father," began Angelica.

"I do, and I don't like it," said Lily.

"Can I call you Lily?" wondered Angelica.

"It is my name," said Lily.

"Lily, did your father ever tell you about a woman from Seville, Spain?" wondered Angelica.

"He mentioned her a few times. I remember my mother didn't like it when he talked about her. They always got into fights. Mum and Daddy told me they loved each other, but they were always fighting. He loved Mum, I know he did 'cause he was always getting things for her. He always liked to get little presents and surprises for her. He liked cuddling with her too. Mum was never happy really. I barely remember her, but she didn't like me. She never liked me. Sometimes she even told me she didn't like me, but Grandfather always made me feel better," said Lily.

"What do you know of this woman from Seville?"

"Daddy loved her and that's why Mum got so mad when he talked about her. I guess they were going to marry each other and things didn't work out. She left him after he decided he didn't want to marry her. Daddy's like that though. He doesn't like things that chain him down."

"Do you feel like you are that chain?"

"No," Lily said confidently as she looked at Angelica. "Athair loves me. He always has and he always will. He wants to take me with him, but he says he can't because it's too dangerous and I have to stay here with Wills. And staying here with Wills isn't bad. He's got a lot of toys and the ocean and the jungle. I like it here. I just wish Daddy was with me more often. He's always leaving me and promising he'll come back. He does always come back, but he's always gone. I want him to stop leaving me with Grandfather. And, and this time not even Grandfather wants me."

"It isn't that your grandfather doesn't want you, it is just that he has a lot of work to do. It's that time of year he must put forth all his attention to being Keeper of the Code."

"Don't tell Grandfather I said this, but they are just there. No one follows them, not even my father. Grandfather doesn't even follow them sometimes."

"Really? Last I remembered he attempted to shoot a crew of pirates and he would have shot them all had his pistol not been used of the bullets."

"He's really bad at leaving a fallen man behind."

"That's him. Rules are made to be broken Lily."

"That's what my father says, but he also says if there were no rules then there would be nothing to live off of and we would just be wandering the world doing whatever we like."

"That's also true."

"You're Spanish right?"

"Sí."

"Do you know the woman from Seville?"

Angelica smiled down at Lily sadly. "I am the woman from Seville."

Lily softly gasped as her head whipped to Angelica. Warm moisture in the form of tears glistened in her eyes. She shook her head as she backed away from Angelica. "No. You can't be. Daddy loved her; he still loves her. The ring on his finger that he said he got from Spanish widow he didn't get from a Spanish widow; he told me he got from the Seville woman. I know what finger that is; it means he's married. Now I know why Daddy always leaves me. He always tells me he's finally home and that he won't leave me again. In a few days or a week, he'll leave again and be gone for a long time. That's what he did last time. He promised me he was going to stay with me and then he left and he came back with _you_. He's been sneaking off with you. And you're not my mother and he wants me to be nice to you and I don't want to because you're not my mother. I don't care if my mother hated me because I know she did. I'm not stupid. I know what hate and blame and mistake means. She said she hated me sometimes and it was my fault her life was like it was and I was a mistake. Mistakes aren't meant to be so I was never mean to be.

"Daddy doesn't love me. He's only pretending to love me. He and my mother were always fighting because he was always sneaking off with you pretending I don't exist and he's been away more and more lately. He doesn't care about me. No one does. It's all my fault my father is crazy. It's my fault he's going to die. He's got to do all this stuff to stay alive and it's all because of me. I hate myself. I wish I wasn't born. I hate Daddy. He doesn't care about me anymore."

"Oh Lily, that's not true," said Angelica.

"Yes it is. No one cares about me," Lily said. She plopped on the sofa and curled her knees against her chest. Her face was buried between her knees and her torso as she wept. "I hate my life. No one cares about me. No one ever has. I'm just here. No one ever will love me. I hate my life. I wish I had never been born. I hate everything."

Although she was the exact opposite from the child's mother, Angelica slumped. Her face lowered in sadness. She couldn't just let Lily sit there and cry for no reason. There was no reason for Lily to be crying, yet Lily knew nothing. She didn't know what her father was doing when he was away and for her to assume that Jack was running away with her was logical, especially with the words that her parents argued whenever the woman from Seville was mentioned.

Attempting something she dared never try or thought of trying, Angelica pushed her arms from the railing. Slowly and gently to not frighten the child, she climbed on the sofa behind Lily. So very gently, her fingers reached out to gently grasp the little girl's arms. Much to her shock, Lily didn't push away from her affection and motherly touch so Angelica wrapped her fingers around the other little arm. Waiting again, she felt nothing changing in Lily. As the last resort, she swallowed hard and to her arms across the child's curled body, both of them wrapping around the seven year old.

Both frightened and delighted, Angelica felt Lily lean into her. Altogether the child uncurled her legs to curl her side against Angelica's torso. She shifted from sitting in front of her to sitting beside her in her lap. Her legs curled tightly to her chest and she did not remove her face from her knees, yet she leaned into Angelica.

Never did she expect Lily to go as far as curling against her. Angelica was sorely unprepared for Lily to be that close to her in such a short time. She thought Lily would perhaps like to feel touch of another woman and only a gentle touch, not being held. As awkward as it was, Angelica hesitantly wrapped her arms around Lily's body again. Her mind scrambled as she thought of something to do to calm the child. It wasn't everyday she held a weeping child in her arms. She couldn't think of a time she held a child in her arms who was in need of someone.

Just moments before she and Lily were arguing and fighting. She wound Lily to a chair and yet Lily was settled in her arms as though she was her mother. Thinking on it, Angelica realized she would have done the same was she in Lily's position. Lily was just a little girl who lost her mother three years ago. She was a frightened little girl seeking comfort from anyone who gave. Angelica would have crawled into any woman's arms with a gentle touch and a soft smile. Lily felt right against her. She felt right to hold. For such a small child, she was strong physically. Muscle toned her arms and her legs. Usually children were going into the awkward chubby stage, but not Lily. Whatever Jack and Teague were doing to her, they were raising her quite healthy. Angelica had already taken note Lily was not an average seven year old; her mind and thought process were quite developed beyond her years.

Simply feeling the little girl needed a mother in her life once more, Angelica moved her arm holding Lily from her front so she was able to gently caress the back of the child's soft hair. Inspiration struck her. She was her father and music comforted Jack Sparrow more than he would like to admit to anyone. Angelica knew music was Jack's haven from the world and brought him out of his moods. The melody softly hummed on her lips and then softly sung from her tongue in beautiful tune.

"_'Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone  
>All her lovely companions are faded and gone<br>No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh  
>To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh<em>

_"I'll not leave thee, thou lone one, to pine on the stem_  
><em>Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them<em>  
><em>Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed<em>  
><em>Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead<em>

_"So soon may I follow when friendships decay_  
><em>And from love's shining circle the gems drop away<em>  
><em>When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown<em>  
><em>Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?"<em>

"That's my song."

"Do you know what it means?" wondered Angelica.

Lily nodded her head as she lifted it from her knees. She wiped her eyes with the backs of both her hands. "It means nothing lasts forever, but Daddy has a different meaning for it. He says I'm the rose and he's the person telling the story and that the person telling the story is telling the rose that he'll always be there. And when he's gone, he'll give me things to remember him by like scattering leaves over me. And when all my friends and people who love me are gone he won't leave me. He says the ending of the song means he won't let me live this world alone even after he's flown away because no one should live in this world alone." She nodded her head again. "But I know the person telling the story is the last person of her kind and she'll soon follow after she dies because no one can live alone."

"Your father taught me that song a long time ago. He'll never admit it, but that is his favorite song. It reminds him that even when he feels like he's alone in the world and there is no one there, nothing lasts forever and one day he'll have everyone. It's a beautiful song that reminds us we are only mortal," said Angelica.

"I guess I have to share Daddy with you then don't I?" wondered Lily.

"It's more like _I_ have to share him," admitted Angelica. "When I heard about you that you are Jack's daughter, I'll admit I wanted to kill you. I finally got Jack back, the man I was going to marry, the man I still love with all my heart. When I heard of you, I couldn't convince myself that I was to share him. He never mentioned he had a daughter and that it was with another woman. I know Jack has had many women in his life who have loved him, yet I never imagined him to have a child with one of said women."

"Then you're jealous?"

"Pretty much," Angelica told her straight forward. "You have everything I don't. You have Jack's love, the love I once had and want back. Niña, you haven't the slightest bit of knowledge as to how your father loves you. His ship is worthless compared to you and I'm confident you know his relationship to the _Black Pearl_."

"Mm hm," said Lily. "He has a sketch pad of drawrings and designs and setups that he wants to do."

"Drawrings," Angelica said to herself with a laugh.

"Sometimes he says 'drawring' and sometimes he says 'drawing'. I just felt like saying 'drawring'," said Lily.

"I still don't think you know how much he loves his ship," said Angelica. "You know about Barbossa right?"

"Angelica, who is my Daddy?" said Lily.

"Fair question," said Angelica. "He loves you more than his ship. He has had several miniature breakdowns I've been informed over what to do with you. Although he knows he cannot take you with us, he wants to."

"I know. We've already talked about it. I stay here and he goes," said Lily.

"I'm going with him you know," warned Angelica.

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter I guess. You'll be my new mother in the end anyway."

"What makes you say that?" wondered Angelica.

"You love my Daddy and he loves you. You're gonna get married so that'll make you my new mother. You feel like my mother already anyway. She never really held me when I was sad. It felt odd being with her a lot of times. Daddy always took care of me and so did Grandfather," said Lily.

"You were only four when your mother died Lily. How do you know this?" Angelica questioned.

"I remember being happier with my Daddy and wanting him more and I remember my mother telling me she didn't like me as much as she should have," said Lily. "Do you remember your mother?"

"Not so much anymore. She died when I was about your age. All she told me was my father's name and his name was Edward Drummond. It was years before I finally figured out what he changed his name to," said Angelica. "I remember her being sad and lonely but very kind. She had a temper I'll admit that. After she died, I was placed in a Spanish Convent to become a nun and then your father came in and that was the beginning of my life."

"So, does Daddy sneak away to see you then?"

"No, your father and I met up little over a month ago. I'm sure you heard of rumors that Jack Sparrow was in London signing men to a crew."

"Yep and he's not happy that you didn't say you were _Captain_ Jack Sparrow."

"He mentioned that Niña."

"I just thought I would tell you."

"Secondly, you have your father."

"You don't have a father either?"

"Not anymore. He died recently."

"Oh, that's not good."

"I never truly had a father anyway. I loved my Papa more than he did me. There were days he loved me more than the world itself and all he wanted was for me to be at his side talking to him and giving him companionship. Most days I arose with the dawn, received my orders, and carried them out like I was merely another crew member. There are too many times he should have defended me and not done what he should have done. He didn't listen to me and seemed to not care for me. He used me more than your father did."

"How did Daddy use you?"

"He used me to get himself out of trouble which ruined my life because I was exiled from the only place I could call home when I was nineteen. I've been on my own since I was nineteen searching for my father whom I just found who didn't know of my existence."

"He's your dad. He loved you. All fathers love their daughters even if they say they don't."

"Just like your mother loved you?"

"If she really didn't like me then she would have left me, but I know she didn't love me."

"Lily, do you remember how your mother died?" Angelica asked curiously.

"We were looking for something, all three of us. Daddy was bitten by a snake. He got really, really sick really, really fast. Mother got him somewhere that was really, really pretty. Um, it looked like a really old world with lots of mist and light. I remember it because I think I thought it looked like a magical land from one of my stories. Angelica, do you believe in mermaids?"

"I've seen them."

"Okay, do you believe in mermen?"

"Mm hm."

"Okay, because when Daddy was really, really sick a merman told me I had to get him water so he took me to a fresh spring. When I got back Daddy was well again, but Mother got bit by a snake too. There wasn't enough time to save her. The snake that bit her was more poisonous and nothing could be done to help her. But that's okay. Daddy loves me more than her."

Angelica nodded her head. She exhaled as if she was drawing a deep breath when she was in fact sighing in relief. Lily remembered it because of the strength of the emotions, but she was not present for all of it as Jack mentioned and thank goodness. Had she been there when Anamaria's years were taken, nightmares would have forever plagued her mind. Lily already remembered more than she probably should have.

"How did your father die?" Lily wondered.

"He was fatally wounded in a battle," said Angelica, answering the question because Lily answered hers.

"Do you want to share my dad so you can have a Daddy again?" asked Lily.

"No," laughed Angelica. "I don't want Jack like that."

"You have a pretty smile and I like your laugh," said Lily.

"All right," said Angelica, not expecting that, but not shunning it either. "I love your father, but he loves you more than me. He continues to remind me of it as well. You changed your father. He is no longer my Jack Sparrow, a literal free sparrow who flies where he wants when he wants. You grounded him and took away his freedom, but gave him love. You tore your father apart, but mended him. Have you ever noticed your father talks to himself?"

"He's always talked to himself."

"That was a stupid question. Well, your father has quite a few problems with his mind. He's fighting the two people he is and was. Lily, what did your father tell you about why he has to go away?"

"Well, he said he has to do something dangerous and that's finding the Sword of Cortés in the Colonies and he has to go from one side of the Colonies to the other so it's going to take a long time and he has to stay away from the Spanish and the Navy like always and that's why he had to cut his hair."

"It's much more than that Lily," said Angelica softly. "I probably shouldn't but I'm going to tell you anyway. If you are like your father as much as he says you are and as much as I am feeling, you'll find out the truth one way or another and to simply tell you the truth is altogether better."

"I like the truth," said Lily. "Daddy says lying is bad but it is necessary sometimes."

"That's true, but it's never good to lie," said Angelica. "Do you know what the Sword of Cortés is?"

"Yep. Daddy said it was a really powerful sword that can do anything a person wants and it's too dangerous to be kept here so he's going to give it to Calypso after he's got it."

"Excuse me? You know about Calypso."

"Yes. So?"

"Never mind. Do you know about the _Black Pearl_?"

"No."

"What about Barbossa?"

"He has the Sword."

"Okay, you already know about the Spanish and the Navy and avoiding them."

"Yes."

"Do you believe in the supernatural?"

"I've seen Calypso. I've seen mermaids. I've personally seen the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ before. He had to give Grandfather something for the Code I guess so he stopped in the Cove when Daddy was away. I didn't get to say hello or anything, but I saw him from my room and the green flash that no one but very few people sees."

"Okay, you know a thing or two. Do you know what a voodoo doll is?"

"Yep. It's a doll that supernatural people use to make people do whatever they want."

"You know too much for your young age," noted Angelica.

"Sorry," said Lily as though it was a suggestion and she didn't understand why it was such a bad thing to be intelligent.

Her apologizing for being smart relieved Angelica greatly, as the simple apology proved she still contained childhood innocence in her. "Will you be here? I want to show you something."

"I don't have anywhere to go," said Lily with a shrug.

"Okay, I'll return in a moment then," said Angelica.

Lily nodded her head with such a force her bangs fell in front of her face. She blew them out of her face and pushed the hair back. She thought the glare up at her bangs was absolutely necessary. Since Angelica was gone and she was Jack Sparrow's daughter, she felt she had to inspect everything belonging to Angelica. A moment was never a moment to anyone she had ever known. At the moment, she was feeling better about Angelica being with her father. Jealousy was an acceptable answer why Angelica hated her so much. Everyone should have been jealous of her; she was Captain Jack Sparrow's daughter after all.

The child walked to every chest sitting on the floor and rummaged through it all. Most of the chests contained clothes and dresses, which was necessary although she didn't see Angelica in a dress much. The colors were dark and not the proper pale a female should have worn. Darker colors were always more of a warning anyway. The swords and knives were sharp, clean, and prepared for battle. The pistols were clean as well. Fresh bullets and powder were tucked away. She did happen upon a few silks and silk was her most favorite cloth. Even though it was much too hot to wear in the Caribbean, she still demanded silks.

Unable to resist temptation of curiosity, Lily lifted a folded red silk from the chest. She lined the tiny straps to her shoulders and held the cloth upward to look in the mirror. Puzzled, her mind tried to think what the silk was to be used as. The straps were thin and the cut down the front of the cloth went down to her hips, leaving most of the front exposed except for the white lacing taking up a third of the incision on her belly. Wholly, lacing attached both sides of the back together and that lacing went all the way down to her thighs. It was the length that struck her most odd. If she truly wanted, Lily could wear the silk garment, as the hem of the skirt fell to her toes and was barely wider than her.

Shrugging it out of her mind, Lily threw the silk back into the chest. She rummaged around some more finding simple female items and such being combs and brushes and a few powders and eye paints. When she opened a book, she was thrilled to find a drying rose come out. She smiled at the pressed rose and put it back where it belonged. Roses were a good thing and since Angelica liked roses, Lily liked her more.

Through with the chests, Lily rushed over to something that caught her eye and intrigued her more than the silk and string ensemble. She found a coat hung up on the back of a chair. It was the color that fascinated her. She had never seen a pink coat before. The pink wasn't exactly pink either; it was more of a red violet, but looked more pink compared to the usual red, violet color. In all honesty, it was a combination of a red, violet and dark fuchsia. The color was pinkish and so feminine. A charcoal coloring edged the length of the coat and cuffs. Gold buttons accented the lining. The cut of the coat was almost exactly in the style of her father's signature slate coat, but the waist appeared more fitted to the body.

"I want this," Lily said to herself as she felt the cloth.

Eyeing the coat heavily, she noticed one of the pockets was fuller than the other which meant something had to be inside the pocket. Being a child and curiosity her favorite trait, she reached into the right pocket and pulled out a doll. An enormous smiled widened across her face.

* * *

><p>Angelica's knuckles rapped on Jack's door. "May I enter?"<p>

"I'm half naked," Jack's voice called.

"Just as long as you're covered below the waist," said Angelica.

"Oh come now Angelica. You've seen it all already. I've only gotten older since me twenties," said Jack.

"Just what did the two of you do?" Gibbs asked.

"Everything but claiming her to meself," Jack said. He opened the door. "All because of her religious past."

"I have a little decency Jack. I don't just throw myself at any woman who looks at me," said Angelica.

"I truly hope you don't throw yourself at any woman," Jack told her.

Biting back the smart comment, Angelica stepped inside. She noticed the piles of cloth thrown in mounds and about the floor. "What are you doing?"

"No, what are you doing here? I thought you and Lily were talking," noted Jack with a narrow eye.

"She was wondering about the _Pearl_ and I thought I would show her. After all, it will be her future ship," said Angelica, stretching the truth a bit.

"Says you. I'm being buried with me ship," said Jack as he walked on over to a small chest.

Angelica followed slowly. She was more intrigued with a marking on his back simply wondering why he would have such a depiction tattooed upon him. A grisly scar began at the bend between the neck and the shoulder and arched around his side and down his back ending at his waist; the furthest mark of the arch touched his spine. Dark red circles were evenly spaced upon the dark red scar like sharp teeth had taken hold of him and mauled his shoulder. By the nature of the scar and the manner it did not heal well, it was teeth by something most foul.

A black tattoo was centered along the arc. Between his side and the spine, an outline of a human skull laid inked into his skin. Tentacles emerged from the natural scar as though flowing from the scar. Each tentacle curved around the skull with all tips pointing toward the skull. One specific tentacle went through the left eye. Cracks were placed onto the skull as if the pressure was too great. The right eye was a perfect hollow circle. A dark eye patch surrounded the circular eye and wound around the head. In the center of the eye was the very familiar image of a flying sparrow, soaring away from the scar. Two separate tentacles formed a question mark beneath the jaw of the skull. At the tip of the lowest tentacle forming the bottom the question mark, a lone drop barely hung onto the end. Every tentacle was line shaded. The suction cups were full black. Each tooth was shaded. No shading was done on the skull, but the cracks varied in thickness. Wholly, the tattoo left little skin on the right side of his back. Width wise, perhaps three fingers measured the skin between the beginning arch of the scar and the tattoo. It was hauntingly beautiful.

Feeling the discomfort of staring upon him, Jack's pupils moved to the corner of the right of his eyes. "It was from the Kraken when it took me under. I had much more scars and bites than this one. This was the only one that didn't heal. Rather than hiding it forever, I decided to make the best out of it and turn it into artwork."

"It's beautiful, yet frightening," whispered Angelica.

Jack turned and stood straight to her. "Life. This serves as a reminder to me. The skull is my own and crushing under the pressure of the tentacles. The image forming a question is no mistake. Death lies before us all and it is only a question of when our last drop of blood is spilled. The eye can look to fly away from death, yet the patch of darkness will eventually shut out all light. Death is inevitable. Now one understands not even Water of Life itself may save us from death seeing as it is death that gives you and I life. There are days the scar burns as though I am being bitten and my arm will go completely, absolutely, wholly numb. In fact, this scar of mine has been known to bleed a bit now and then and my arm occasionally goes white. It's been six years since I was taken, yet the pain is still there, but the memories are worse."

"Surely there is something that can take away the pain," said Angelica.

"There is nothing. I consulted her Sea Goddessness herself and there is nothing," said Jack. He tapped Angelica's nose. "Come now Angelica, don't be so gloomy about it. I've dealt with it for six years and possibly it won't be so bad now that I've technically got extra years."

"It's unfair the effects are with you until you die," said Angelica.

Jack merely pointed to his back. "Life is cruel."

"Life is also beautiful," Angelica told him firmly and confidently.

"The only beauty I've seen in me life is Lily," said Jack.

"Jack what happened to you? Ye were fine just a second ago and now you're all dark and gloomy and depressing," noted Gibbs.

"It happens," Jack snapped as he shoved the bottled _Black Pearl_ against Angelica.

He turned on his heels and walked onto the veranda where he leaned his palms and arms on the railing and gazed out to the open ocean.

"He was fine just a moment ago," noted Gibbs.

"Jackie, Jack, and John," reminded Angelica. "He shifted into Jackie when his mind thought of the dark incidents of his past."

"Must have," agreed Gibbs.

Jack heavily sighed. His head tilted upward into the sun. Just as quickly as his dark façade came upon him, the darkness seemed to fly away with the light. The room felt warmer, suddenly more comfortable. His rigid body relaxed, muscles in his back loosening and the redness of the scar fading back to pink. Both palms wrapped around his biceps. "Do either of you ever get the feeling like someone is holding you when there is no one there?"

"Not that I recall," said Gibbs.

"Oh, must be just me then," noted Jack. "I need to feel like this more often mates because it feels good."

"I'm going to go back to Lily now," Angelica told them with an idea on her tongue.

She and the bottled ship left the room. Lily was a child and children were always curious and snoopy. She had a feeling why Jack felt comforted and warm again. Quietly, she entered her temporary room and walked across the flooring. Her head peeked out the room and into the sunlight where the child was sitting on the veranda's sofa right where she left her. In the child's arms just happened to be a doll she took a liking to very much in Shipwreck City.

Lily held the doll of her father under her right arm. She smiled sheepishly at Angelica. "I couldn't resist."

"That's perfectly all right," said Angelica as she sat gently on the sofa in front of Lily. She held the bottle out. "The _Black Pearl_."

The child leaned forward with narrow eyes. They widened all of a sudden as the doll was thrown to the side so her hands could reach forward and grasp the bottle. Her mouth dropped a bit as the brown eyes searched over ever little detail. "Why is the _Black Pearl_ in a bottle?"

"Your father asked that same question," noted Angelica with a laugh.

"Why is the _Black Pearl _in a bottle?" Lily asked again with a squeaky voice.

"Blackbeard put it in there by the Sword of Cortés," explained Angelica. "The only way to get it out is with the Sword."

"That's why Daddy needs the Sword," said Lily. "'Jack'? Why is the monkey in the bottle? Daddy hates the monkey?"

"I don't know why there is a monkey in the bottle," said Angelica.

"Why is it storming? This is not normal. This is that supernatural voodoo magic," said Lily.

Angelica swallowed hard as she knew the next words to come out of her mouth were what the child needed to hear, yet she feared the reaction. She gently reached out and grabbed the voodoo doll of Jack to hold in the palm of her hand. "As is this. Lily, this doll, there is a very good reason we didn't want you to have the doll. This is a voodoo doll of your father. Usually it is only effective in the hands of the maker, but this doll affects your father in the hands of anyone."

"Voodoo dolls are real?" wondered Lily.

"You said you knew what they were," noted Angelica.

"I didn't think they were real," said Lily. "So if I poked the nose then it would be like I'm poking Daddy's nose?"

"Yes," said Angelica. "Remember in Shipwreck City when you were squeezing the doll?" Lily nodded. "Your father felt like he was being squeezed. He couldn't breathe."

"I don't believe you. I'm going to ask Daddy," declared Lily.

Before Lily could grab the doll, Angelica stood and raised the doll above her head. "I have a better idea."

Once again, Angelica walked down the long hall to the room Jack occupied, yet Lily followed her this time. The two females silently cracked the door open so two eyes peeked inside. Angelica knelt to Lily's level.

"Poke the nose," she whispered in Lily's ear.

Lily set the doll in the palm of her left hand. She looked at Angelica oddly then shrugged. Her forefinger began poking the doll's nose. Nothing was happening. When she met Angelica's gaze, the older woman motioned inside the room and Lily peeked through the room. Her head tilted to the side.

Jack stood with his back to them as he was looking over two different colors with Gibbs. He shook his head off and on. A hand reached up and rubbed his face. Both hands suddenly began wiping his face. He sniffled then smacked his nose and the air around him.

Curious to know if it was the doll or not, Lily stopped poking the nose. She looked between the doll and her father the poked the doll's right eye.

A whine moaned out of Jack as he shot his head back. His hand reached upward and covered his face. "Ow-ch," he moaned.

"What is it?" wondered Gibbs.

"I think I have something in me eye," said Jack.

"Let me see it. Move your hand," said Gibbs. "Eh, ye definitely have something in your eye."

Feeling it, Jack walked to the mirror across the room. His right eye was red both on the pupil and surrounding skin. Tears formed in the attempt to flush the unwanted out. Groaning, he wiped away the moisture and shook his head.

The mouth of a seven year old girl widened. Wonder replaced amusement. She looked at the doll then her father as he began walking toward the clothes once more. Testing something else, she recalled something she did to her father by accident once and he made her promise never to do it again because it hurt. She held out the doll in front of her and flicked the exact middle of her father's body.

Jack squeaked as he stopped walking. His faced widened in pain and went white. He bent over whimpering. Breathing heavily, he set his hands on his trembling legs.

"Mother's love, Jack!" cried Gibbs as he rushed to Jack's side. "What happened?"

"Pain. Lots of pain," replied Jack with a squeaky, raspy voice.

"Where?" asked Gibbs searching all around Jack's body.

"Pain," was Jack's reply again.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he completely leaned onto Gibbs.

Panicking, Gibbs swung one of Jack's arms around his body and quickly began hauling Jack to the bed. It wasn't everyday Jack faltered as he did like that especially with no humanly purpose around him.

"Not so fast," Jack demanded through lack of air. He limped the short distance to the bed and gingerly sat down with his legs spread apart. His hands were once against set on his knees and his back hunched forward. He breathed through and "o" formed on his lips.

"Jack talk to me lad," said Gibbs.

"Once upon a time," began Jack. "Lily and I played catch with a wooden ball. I was standing. She was standing. She let go too late. The ball didn't come into my hands. It hit below the belt so to speak. That is what 'pain' is for."

Gibbs' eyes narrowed in wonder. He processed Jack's little story through again. "Oh," he said seeming to catch on. Noticing how Jack was sitting his face widened as he understood. "Oh. Oh. Oh, Jack." He breathed through his teeth as his eyes narrowed in pain. He himself placed his hands securely on his person just to be safe. "That's got to hurt."

"Really?" Jack snapped as his raised his head to look at Gibbs. He groaned and hunched himself back over.

Lily turned from her father to Angelica to ask a question. She opened her mouth and breathed in, yet there was no Angelica kneeling beside her. Her eyes darted all around and then she ran back to Angelica's room where she found Angelica halfway on the floor and halfway on the bed. She quite didn't make it to the bed. Lily was about to ask her why she was crying, but then Angelica raised her head from her arms revealing a huge smile and laughter.

Angelica attempted to breathe in air, but it was only to be used to continue her laughter. Her body trembled since the laughter was inaudible because of the lack of oxygen to her lungs. When she noticed Lily and saw the doll in the child's hands, a huge blast of laughter burst out of her as she fell against the foot of the bed with her head lying on the bed. Tears poured from her eyes. She covered her mouth in the attempt to conceal the laughter.

Still not understanding, Lily ran back to her father's door and peeked inside. Jack was now sitting up at the very edge of the bed. His legs were still spread apart and he shifted uncomfortably, but he was continuing with looking over the colors and different combinations. Her father felt discomfort, but what of pain?

Needing an answer to settle her curious mind, Lily pulled one of her diamond earrings from her ear. She poked the sharp point against her finger. Curiosity was her only flaw according to her father but she couldn't help that she was curious and it would bother her until she figured it out. The post of the earring was shoved through the left hand of the doll.

Simultaneously, the earring went through the doll's hand entirely and Jack shouted in pain. He turned his hand upward to inspect what was causing him the bother. Blood was flowing out of both sides of his hand equal distance from each other. The red dripped across his fingers and onto his trousers. His eyes widened as his mind was entranced by the occurrence.

"Jack!" Gibbs cried. He reached for one of the tunics on the floor and quickly wrapped Jack's hand tightly. "What is happening to you?"

Jack breathed through his teeth as he pulled his hand from Gibbs' quivering grasp. The pain was gone. He scrambled to remove the bloody cloth. Though his hand was coated in blood, the bleeding was no more. As unsanitary as it was, but the result the same as water, he spit onto his palm and wiped as much blood as he could away from his palm. It was then when he noted the scar from cursed Aztec Gold was not the only mark upon his palm. A small circular dot was centered in his palm. When he cleaned the back of his palm, he flipped his hand back and forth.

"It's as though you were stabbed," noted Gibbs. "But you weren't though."

Jack's head was low as he observed his hand but his eyes moved to the top of the sockets. "Exactly."

Gibbs shut his eyes as he muttered prayers of good fortune upon Jack. The doll.

"Angelica!" Lily screamed as she rushed into the room and against Angelica.

Frightened at the child's sudden movements, Angelica winced. Lily was trembling and wailing against her chest. Angelica hushed her, but that was of no use.

"I trusted you with the doll Angelica!" Jack screamed as he entered.

"I'm sorry Daddy I'm so sorry. I had to know if it was going to hurt you," Lily cried as she pulled away from Angelica. She fell onto the floor and continued crying.

"You told her?" Jack cried.

"She deserves to know what's happening to you and why you can't be with her," Angelica said.

"I was avoiding telling her so she didn't have to worry. She already doesn't think I'm going to come back. She thinks I'm going to die," said Jack.

Lily screamed as she pushed from the floor and threw herself at her father.

Jack clenched his teeth and squeezed his face tight when his daughter's head came in contact with his body as she was just to his belly in terms of height and ribs were solid objects.

"You can't go! You can't leave me! You're going to leave me and never come back. Don't go please. Please Daddy, don't go! Don't leave me! I'll do anything you want. I won't touch the doll again. Just don't leave me!" Lily pleaded.

Emotions tearing him apart again, Jack knelt and brought his daughter into his arms. Pressure on his body was not welcomed and so he sat on the edge of the bed as before. He held his daughter tightly. "Lily-Rose, I have to go."

"No, no, no!" Lily cried.

"I'll be fine. I'll come back. The first thing we are going to do is figure out how to end the connection to the doll. Once I'm not connected to the doll I'll be fine. Angelica has safe keeping of the doll," said Jack.

"I don't trust her," Lily told him.

"But I do Darling. She knows what the doll can do to me and she's not going to let the doll end up in the wrong hands," said Jack.

"I promise," said Angelica as she sat beside Lily and rubbed the child's back. "I won't let anyone else touch the doll. It won't leave my person."

"What if it does?" wondered Lily.

"Listen to me" said Angelica. She gently cupped the child's face between her palms and forced Lily to look at her. "If that doll somehow ends up in the wrong hands, they will learn I am not solely my mother's daughter. I will kill every man who stands before me and the doll. Your father will come back alive Lily-Rose."

"If he dies, I'll kill you," Lily told her coldly.

"Lily," Jack scolded.

"And that's a promise," said Lily with anger and determination.

"No, my promise to you Lily-Rose, I'll die saving Jack," said Angelica.

Lily nodded her little head. She looked at her father. "And you'll die for her right?"

"I won't let him. He has you to come back to. I have no one. You need him more than I do. I may love him, but I don't need him. I never have. He'll come back alive," Angelica told her.

Not liking the sound of Angelica's voice and it implying he couldn't take care of himself, Jack pushed his daughter from his lap and immediately left the room. Lily was just fine until Angelica had to tell her the truth. Now his daughter would think he was incapable of being on his own. Angelica made him seem like he was going to die without her. Instead of her father being Captain Jack Sparrow, Lily was now going to see him as a simple person who was destined to die on that sea.

With Jack out of the room, Angelica reached for the doll on the floor. Rather than holding onto the doll, she reached under a folded coat sitting on the same chair where Lily found the doll in the first place

Lily's eyes widened as another doll of her father emerged from the center of the cloth. One of the dolls was set against her chest and her arms were tightly, yet gently wrapped around the doll.

Angelica held the second doll out to Lily.

"There's two of them?" asked Lily softly.

"Your father believes I have the voodoo doll. He trusts me with the doll and he should because I won't have this doll," whispered Angelica. "One of the dolls is the voodoo doll and the other is a mere doll."

"Who has Daddy's voodoo doll?" wondered Lily, fear lighting back onto her face.

"The doll cannot end up in the wrong hands now because there no wrong hands for it to come across and if it does come across the wrong hands, Jack's most precious treasure is also in those hands," continued Angelica.

"What?" wondered Lily.

Angelica set her palm on Lily's cheek. "Jack wanted me to prove to him I love him, but he cannot know I did this. He cannot know what I did with the doll and you cannot tell anyone either. Keeping the doll as far away from Jack as I can will keep him alive and in the hands of his treasure. I'm putting all faith and trust with the soul who protects the doll."

"Who is protecting Daddy's voodoo doll?" asked Lily pleadingly.

"You Lily-Rose."

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**of course as always, you fellow readers are awesome with the reviews. wow, i can't even go a few days without pleads to continue and update! that is incredibly brilliant! sorry it took so long though. we had some family vacation time in there.**

**sorry about the length of the chapter. this had to be long as there was no good place to cut it.  
><strong>

**all right, well first of all Aingeal is pronounced AN-jel. Athair is pronounced AH-her. just in case you want to know Halloran means "stranger from across the sea". okay, i know "The Last Rose of Summer" was a song in the early 19 century, much later than this timeline, but i thought the song was appropriate and it is one of my favorites.**

**now, still hating Lily or more understanding of her? and are you happier that Angelica and Lily have finally come to an agreement? as for Angelica giving Lily the doll, it may be a bold move, but you have to admit Angelica is onto something there. two females sharing love for the same man is a powerful defense for Jack's life. there will be more with Angelica and Lily in the next chapter before _Tristan_ head out and i believe Philip and Syrena will make their entrance as well.**

**as always thoughts? comments? questions? concerns? likes? dislikes other than cliffhangers? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!  
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	10. Loveable Mutt

**XXX Loveable Mutt XXX**

As children most often did, Lily and Wills were causing quite the stir in the manor. It seemed Wills could give Lily a venture with the task of being the better pirate of the two. Where Lily had the natural appearance of a pirate, Wills was the one who knew the speak, the clothes, and every story out there. His four short years were filled with pirate tales.

Both ran around every room with wooden swords and pistols in their grasp after raiding a chest of play clothes. While Lily preferred to dress as more of a practical pirate, Wills was the pirate from all great sea stories. He was covered from toe to head with brightly colored clothes and layers, three belts all with wooden swords, gold and silver necklaces and rings, bandana, hat, sashes, and, of course, he carried around his trusty compass and spyglass.

The two crawled on the floor down the main hall.

"Shh, I hear bad men," whispered Wills.

"You're the one who keeps clanging the floor," said Lily.

"No I not," said Wills.

"Yes you are," said Lily. She reached around his neck to pull the necklaces away from the floor and lay them flat on his back.

"Oopsy," whispered Wills.

"Let me see," said Lily, reaching for the spyglass.

"Mine!" cried Wills.

"I just wanna see around the corner," said Lily.

"My glass. My first peek," stated Wills.

"I'm older than you," said Lily.

"My glass. My peek first," Will said as he brought the device to his eye.

Through the magnified image he saw the distorted bodies of four people wandering about the main sitting room. Three of them were men and one was a female.

"Three boys and one girl," whispered Wills.

"Is it Dread Pirate Roberts and his crew?" wondered Lily.

"Lemme looky," said Wills.

He searched over the faces. One of them was the captured princess and the two others were of the crew. He spotted the fourth one. Dark hair, bandana, dark skin. "Yep, it's him."

"Is he armed?" wondered Lily.

Wills pulled the glass away from his eye to look at her oddly. "What mean armed?"

"Does he have any swords on him?" Lily corrected quickly.

"Oh," said Wills.

The spyglass was placed back on his eye. He searched the man from his boots up his legs and around his sides. Ensuring he wasn't armed, he looked over his hands and arms. Both hands were free of weapons. He had to make note of the rings on the fingers. His favorite was the large emerald with skulls on the side. Looking over his tanned skin, he came across a dark spot above his right wrist. A sparrow, sunset, and ocean waves.

All of a sudden, Wills shoved the spyglass against Lily and went rushing into the room. He grabbed Jack's arm, frightening the older man in the process. A small forefinger traced every black, tattooed line on the wrist. With his mouth dropped low and eyes wide, he moved his head upward to look at Jack.

"Captain Jack Sparrow?" he asked.

"Lad, it's Captain Jack Teague," reminded Jack.

Wills' head moved from side to side slowly. He pulled on Jack's wrist and pointed. "Jack Sparrow's mark."

Jack looked down at his wrist then to Gibbs. "Well, I'll have to keep in me mind to keep me mark hidden won't I?"

"You Captain Jack Sparrow?" asked Wills.

"The one and only Captain Jack Sparrow," said Jack. He bowed with his arms out. "At your service."

What came out of Wills' mouth next were no words at all truly. He ran to everyone he saw and began announcing he knew Captain Jack Sparrow. To his delight, Jack was retold his life by a four year old child who know all the tales, including beginning to reenact them right before his eyes. Unable to contain his excitement, Wills altogether squeaked and then wrapped his arms around Jack's legs and held tightly onto him.

"Me love Captain Jack Sparrow," he said with a sigh.

His cheeks as red as his blood, Jack turned to Elizabeth with a sheepish smile and pointed at Wills. "Just wot have you told him about me?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders with a smile. "Stories."

"The little bugger's got a tight hold," noted Jack.

"No go 'way. Stay here. My pris'ner," said Wills.

"But I have to go mate," said Jack.

"No go," said Wills.

"Oh, oh, oh!" cried Lily as she ran inside the room. "Push him on a chair!"

"No don't push me on a chair," declared Jack.

"Why?" wondered Wills.

"Oh, don't start that again," pleaded Jack.

Lily ran up to her father and tugged on his arm. "Please Daddy, sit!"

Shutting them up, Jack sat behind him on the armchair. "Happy now?"

"Nope," said Lily. "Wills, come here!"

"'Kay!" squeaked Wills as he ran over to Lily.

The children ran out of the room.

"Is he always like this?" wondered Jack.

"Is she always like that?" wondered Elizabeth.

"Like wot?" wondered Jack, folding his arms across his chest.

"Bossy?" offered Gibbs.

"I was going to say spontaneous, but bossy suits her well too," said Elizabeth.

Jack waved his hand at them. "She gets the bossy from her mother and the spontaneous from me."

"We know," replied both Gibbs and Elizabeth.

Screeching across wood drew all their attention to the doorway. The sound was hideous and uncomfortable. Gibbs discretely covered his ears, Thomas left the room, and Elizabeth simply stood with her arms folded across her chest. Jack sat against the chair. He crossed his fingers in his lap while he set his right ankle on his left knee. Apparently Wills was a troublemaker himself and he knew his daughter was a troublemaker. The two of them together had to come up with an ingenuous idea that involved him in some form.

Lily and Wills appeared in the doorway pushing a heavy wooden chair across the hall and into the room. They settled the chair in the center of the room.

"Here. Sit here!" said Lily.

Humoring her and Wills, Jack grumbled as he stood from his comfortable chair to sit in the uncomfortable wooden chair. He plopped down and looked at the two of them. "Well? Happy now?"

"Get him!" hollered Lily.

A blur of colors and children ran around Jack and the chair. While Jack was processing what the two of them were doing to him, he happened to feel his ribs crushing into his lungs by means of the rope and wooden arms of the chair rubbing against his forearms and calves pressing against the two front legs of the chair. He pulled and struggled a bit of course like any good man would have done, however it was a lost cause. Somehow the two children had managed to do a bind he may not have been able to escape from as easily as he could on a day to day basis. They wrapped his entire torso and both forearms and calves to the chair, literally from shoulder to hips, wrist to elbow, and ankle to knee.

"There," said Lily with a sharp nod of her head. "Now you can't go anywhere."

"Yay! Jack Sparrow my pris'ner!" cried Wills.

"I may be captive by two children but it is still Captain Jack Sparrow to you," said Jack with his forefinger raised.

"Tell me story?" asked Wills.

"Of?" wondered Jack.

"You," replied Wills.

"You know them all mate," said Jack. His eyes flashed open and his mouth formed an "o". He groaned and began shifting uncomfortably. "Could I possibly ask one of you good sirs or ladies to itch me head?"

Fingernails dug into the center of his head in a circular motion.

Jack sighed heavily. "Down to the right a bit, behind the ear. Ahh. Oh, other side now. Eh, top of head! Now please! Bottom! _Bottom!_ Oh, ahh. Thanks very much mate."

"De nada Capitán Juan Gorrión," Angelica whispered in Jack's ear.

"Eh, I don't like me name in Español," noted Jack.

"And what may I ask happened here?" wondered Angelica as she motioned to Jack's current state.

"Them," said Jack.

Lily and Wills smiled.

"Captain Jack Sparrow pris'ner," said Wills.

"Daddy can't go anywhere now," explained Lily.

"You told him?" asked Angelica.

"Actually, he saw the mark on me wrist. It seems I have need to keep the sparrow concealed," noted Jack.

"No, I like him as he should be," said Angelica. She grinned happily. "And you look much better."

"I look like a richer, more fancier, more shall we say, commanding Captain Jack Sparrow?" suggested Jack.

"Mm hm," replied Angelica.

Since Jack wanted to look more like Jack Sparrow, yet keep the Teague image all it took was a simple change of clothes. Like Jack Sparrow should have, Jack wore his hair down and secured behind his ears with a sapphire colored bandana that had not seen the sunlight and so it was bright. He dressed in an ivory tunic and what appeared to be a light bronze colored waistcoat. The waistcoat was much simpler than the one he was wearing before and none of the buttons were buttoned; the front edged hung down his person. Simple dark bronze knot patterns were embroidered on the cloth. His tunic laced down his chest and so he could continue to allow air on his skin yet conceal the scar. About his waist he wore a brown and gold stripped sash with the tails tucked in. Instead of a gold buckle, he chose silver on his belt yet the belt buckle was meticulously crafted so it was worth more than the gold. Breaking away from the color, he was wearing slate colored breeches that included gold buttons on the bottom and black boots. All four rings were back on his fingers. The tail feather of a sparrow was crafted into an earring and hanging from his left ear replacing one of the silver hoops. When he turned his head a small strand of beads tucked under his ear was kept hidden away. Those beads would never leave him for any reason, as they were a gift from his father, the last gift from his father before he was abandoned at age seven.

"You look happier," noted Angelica.

Jack observed his current bound state and arched an eyebrow as he returned his gaze to her. "Really?"

"More comfortable. You're a blend of Jack Sparrow and Teague," added Angelica.

"Oh, that. Yep, much more better," said Jack. "Lily, can I be untied yet?"

"No," said Lily.

"Uh uh," Will said shaking his head.

"Lily, the soon I leave the sooner I'll come back," said Jack.

"Not gonna work," said Lily.

"You know Lily, I'm safer more protected at sea than I am on land," said Jack.

"How?" asked Lily.

"Let's just say your father knows the Captain of the _Dutchman_," said Jack.

"Prove it!" demanded Lily.

"I knew him before he was Captain of that ship. He and I ran into each other and used each other and formed a bit of a friendship, although we would never admit it. He had respect for me and I respected him. He turned out to be one of the best pirates to sail the sea. He was and is still a good man," explained Jack.

"Is he telling the truth?" Lily asked looking at Gibbs.

"Aye, I knew Will before too. Every word your father says is true and I know he's keeping an eye out for Jack. Even if he says he's not he is," said Gibbs. "Both he and his father undoubtedly."

"The Captain has a father?" wondered Lily.

"Aye, and his father is his first mate," added Gibbs.

"Aw, that's so sweet. He's not alone. He's got his daddy," noted Lily.

"Which I'm grateful for," said Jack. "He would never make it without him."

"Does he have any children?" wondered Lily.

Jack couldn't help the small eye movement to Wills who was listening intrigued. "I don't know."

"A wife?" wondered Lily.

"I don't know," said Jack.

"But then who is protecting his heart?" asked Lily, exasperated.

"Lily, no one knows where the heart is but the Captain himself. His heart is his undoing and so it must be kept hidden away," said Jack.

"I've got the feeling it's kept very safely hidden away," said Angelica, with a smirk towards Elizabeth.

"You know him too?" wondered Lily.

"We met just a few days ago," said Angelica.

"Uncle Jack, he part of Daddy's family too?" wondered Wills

"Wot makes you say that?" asked Jack.

"Turner. Both have same last name," said Wills.

"I never asked him," replied Jack.

"Can you?" requested Wills.

"That's only if I see him again," said Jack.

"Well if you do, ask him and ask him to look for Daddy and tell him all about me so if he does find Daddy he can tell him all about me," said Wills.

"That's a promise Little Whelp," Jack said.

His eyes moved upward to Elizabeth where he nodded to her as a half-smile widened across his lips. She softly grinned back at him with a glow coming to her eyes.

"I guess if you know the Captain and he'll help you if you're hurt or need him and since you are friends, I guess you can go," said Lily.

"Trust me Lily, all it will take is a little holler of his name for him to come to my assistance," said Jack.

"It makes me feel less like you're not going to come back so I guess I can let you go," said Lily.

"No, my pris'ner," said Wills.

"Um, William, if I don't go then I can't run into the Captain," said Jack.

Wills gasped as his little eyes widened huge. He crawled from the sofa and rushed to Jack.

Jack sighed as both children began untying the ropes from his body. Free from his bonds, he stood and shook himself limb by limb then cringed. There was nothing more he dreaded and hated than the feeling of being bound and constricted. Dark events of his past made that so.

"Shall we accompany Jack and Angelica to their ship?" suggested Elizabeth.

"Yes!" screamed Wills as he began jumping up and down.

Lily whined and slunk onto her father's legs.

Jack pulled her away and lifted her into his arms. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and a firm nod. She nodded back at him then held tightly around his neck. Jack didn't mind her wanting to be held in his arms, for he wanted to hold his daughter as long as he possibly was able to.

With the noon bell ringing in the distance, the small town of Isla del Sol came into view. One ship was already sailing away and the other was in the process of final preparations. As Jack walked forward, he felt he was carrying a chain that overwhelmed him. It was indeed his daughter. Every footstep closer to the ship, his heart thundered faster and harder. He was fighting to conceal his trembling nature. It was not the first time he left his daughter in the hands of another, but this time was different. He felt he was never going to see his daughter again. Something in his mind was telling him he would never make it back to her. Not even his sources and years would keep him with his daughter. He felt either she was going to do something rash or he was going to lose his life.

In the few days he had with his daughter, he fell in love with her more than he ever had before. He forgot how wonderful she was and the treasure she was to him. He would have to come back for her and he was hoping she wouldn't mind what he was intending to do with Angelica. Lily was going to have to get used to the presence of Angelica because he didn't intend to let her go again. He was falling for her as quickly as he had fallen for his daughter.

"You're beginning to make me quiver too Darling," Jack noted, looking at his daughter.

"I'm so afraid," whispered Lily, curling into him. "You're not going to come back."

"I will so," promised Jack.

"You better," said Lily.

"Please be good for Elizabeth. Don't blame her for anything she didn't do because she didn't do anything. Listen to her. For all intensive purposes she is your mother," said Jack.

Lily gasped and pulled away from her father a bit. "Daddy, since Wills has a mother, but not a father and I have a father but not a mother you and Elizabeth should get married!"

"I tried once but she said no," said Jack.

"The answer is still no Jack," Elizabeth's voice announced.

"Well she's no fun at all," noted Lily.

"You just want the toys," said Jack.

"Yes," admitted Lily with a sigh.

"I'll make you a deal, when I get back the first thing I'll do is buy a ship for you," said Jack.

Lily pointed towards _Tristan_. "Ship?"

"Little ship," said Jack.

"Okay. Deal," said Lily.

With that established, Jack leaned over to let his daughter on her own two feet. Her feet were touching the ground and his arms were not around her, yet she was still on him. "Lily, I have to go."

"I changed my mind, you're not going anywhere," said Lily, clinging to him.

Sighing, Jack knelt to her level which was more comfortable for him. He set both palms on his daughter's cheeks and wiped away the tears beginning to fall from her eyes with his thumbs.

"Don't go. Please," whispered Lily, praying for something to cause her father to stay.

"I will come back Lily-Rose and when I do, you and I are going to be family," said Jack.

"Don't go away," said Lily.

Standing near them and in earshot of them, Angelica quietly approached. She bent down low to Lily's level as well. "Lily, he'll come back. He may not look it, but he is the one and only Captain Jack Sparrow. Remember my little gift?" Lily nodded her head. "As long as you do what I told you he will come back."

"Angelica, you have my permission to have stirrings for my father. You can't have feelings, but you can have stirrings because he said he has stirrings for you. I guess if he has feelings for you then you can have feelings for him," said Lily.

"And if those feelings are feelings of love?" wondered Angelica.

"Do you love her?" Lily asked her father.

"Those stirrings are feelings these days," admitted Jack.

Lily exhaled deeply and her head bowed low to her chest. Her lips moved to the left side of her face as she thought deeply about something. "Well, I guess you two can fall in love if it means you'll come back alive."

"Okay," said Jack.

"All right," said Angelica.

"You have to let me go now," said Jack.

"No!" Lily cried, holding him tighter.

"Lily," Jack whispered sadly.

He held his daughter in a tight embrace.

Elizabeth stepped forward. "Let him go Lily. He can take care of himself and I'll take good care of you. I too have connections to the _Flying Dutchman_ and I'm sure you can write the Captain now and then for information on your father."

"Really?" wondered Lily as she loosened her grasp on her father to look at Elizabeth.

"Mm hm," said Elizabeth.

Lily looked between Jack and Elizabeth and then gave her father one last desperate embrace. "I love you Daddy."

"And I love you Lily-Rose, more than all a man can love in his life," said Jack.

"Okay," Lily announced with a quivering breath as she released herself from her father's body. Her arms hung at her side away from Jack.

After one final kiss on the forehead, Jack stood. "Lizzy—"

"I know Jack; no need to say it," said Elizabeth.

Jack nodded his head. He gave a poke on Wills' nose then one last look upon his daughter. Turning from his little girl, he shut his eyes and walked forward with his head held high.

"Don't look back," said Angelica.

"That's one phrase I know well in me life," said Jack. "What did you give her?"

"An item of your person you dearly hold close to you. I told her to look after it because you'll want it back when you return," said Angelica.

"Being?" wondered Jack.

"A certain red bandana," said Angelica.

"Oh, yeah, I will be wanting that back," noted Jack.

Technically Angelica was telling no lie as part of Jack's bandana was used in the process of crafting the voodoo doll.

They walked onto the dock and down the distance to the ship. The gentleman he was, he allowed Angelica to climb aboard first. Just as he reached upward to begin his ascend the fisherman sitting at the edge called out him.

"How difficult was it saying goodbye to your daughter?"

"I hate goodbyes," said Jack. His eyes narrowed, turning his attention to the fisherman. "How did you know that was my daughter?"

The fisherman was dressed in simple tunic and breeches and wore a large straw hat to keep the sun out of his face or rather, wandering eyes from looking upon his face as Jack soon discovered when he leaned down.

"William, I thought you weren't going to be in my story," reminded Jack.

One Will Turner shrugged a shoulder. "I am merely curious to know what you were going to do with Lily. What you did was smart and right. As for being a messenger between you two I'll do what I can."

"Since you're here, Wills would like me to inform the captain of the _Flying Dutchman_ to keep an eye out for his father and to send him word if there is any," said Jack.

"Always do," said Will.

The edge of the fishing pole bobbled and Will pulled upward. He unhooked the fish and set it in his bucket.

Jack peeked in the bucket. "Lunch?"

"More or less," said Will.

"Where is the Bootstrap?" wondered Jack.

"Keeping an eye on the ship," replied Will. "This was his idea."

"Ah, but you are the one who is presently here," noted Jack.

"Jack, why don't you get on that ship before Angelica decides to mutiny and leave you behind," suggested Will.

"Good idea mate," said Jack as he quickly turned on his heels. He once again reached upward, yet there was one last thought on his mind. "Will, has it ever occurred to you that it may not be such a horrible idea to at least tell your son his father is alive out there?"

Will gathered his fishing pole and bucket of fish. "Someone once told me wait for the opportune moment."

"Ah," noted Jack.

With a small salute to Jack, Will took a step off the edge of the dock and all together disappeared with the tide. Jack slumped at his sudden disappearance, although he should have been shocked of such an oddity. Instead, he knew his friend's watchful eye was missing again. Like all others he figured, there was still comfort knowing Will was going to keep an eye on him now and then.

He stepped onto the ship and was immediately attacked by Angelica who told him his little talk with the fisherman was a waste of time. Jack waved her away and made for the helm. He ignored the Spanish temper he was beginning to find more and more attractive with the passing of the days. Hoping to look upon his daughter again, his eyes shifted to the beginning of the dock where Elizabeth, Wills, and Lily were last standing.

Lily was not there.

Nodding his head that it was probably best he didn't see her again, Jack turned his attention to the crew and began hollering his orders. The time to worry of his daughter was no longer present. She was in good hands. It was time to look toward the bold horizon that held his future. Forget Lily. Lily didn't belong to Captain Jack Sparrow.

Captain Jack Sparrow, also known as Captain Jack Teague nowadays, left his daughter on Isla del Sol which was beginning to fall into the distance. The sea air once again intoxicated his lungs and the breeze played through his loose hair.

He and Angelica exchanged looks and shrugs for no apparent reason.

"I'm glad Jack Sparrow is back," whispered Angelica.

"Me too Aingeal," replied Jack softly. "Me too."

Angelica lowered her head with a smile. Yep, Jack Sparrow was coming back. Only Jack Sparrow announced her as Aingeal and only Jack Sparrow would request a glass of rum to be brought to the helm to aid his parched throat.

Freeport was a town not of its name. Absolutely nothing was free of charge including the dock. A two shilling fee was needed to be paid for a man to dock his ship near the town instead of the middle of the ocean. Not even Port Royal in its prime required two shillings.

Selling his soul, Jack did sacrifice two shillings and give up his name as Jack Teague. He was not a man who had reason to fear giving his name to the world. His appearance was of status and influence in the world as captain of a ship and dressed as well as he was. Should any soul ask where he received the money for his small fortune, he had all intentions of responding with words of private, close enterprising with his connections around the globe. His words were no lies at that. When taken into consideration the truth behind his words, he did have connections with the Pirate Lords of the world and often times Pirate Lords did trade with other Pirate Lords and earn a bit of profit.

As for Angelica hiding her identity, Drummond was the surname used when addressing her. Ironically, she was literally admitting herself as being Blackbeard's daughter. Before Blackbeard and Teach, he was Edward Drummond, a Bristol born man and serving as a privateer before the life of piracy had taken a fancy to him.

Properly, Jack and Angelica dressed as they should have. Jack added his sage coat to the hodgepodge of his attire and set his famous hat atop his head. He wore a black fingerless glove on his right hand which extended to the center of his forearm. The crisscross lacing kept a firm hold on the glove so no slipping and revealing both pirate brand and tattoo was conceivable. Angelica dressed in a more feminine appropriate dress and wore a female's boots while a bonnet was placed upon her head. The bonnet was tilted to the right side of her head and secured behind her head under her hair. Since her dress was cream and bronze, her hat was dark brown and a few peacock feathers added a beautiful glimmer. Jack himself admitted the feathers were an appropriate touch to her attire.

Walking behind him, Gibbs noticed they made a pair clear and simple. It was obvious the lady was belonging to

the captain. They walked side by side. What natural space between their shoulders was merely air in the world. Quite honestly, Gibbs saw them as a happily married couple as they should have been. He had the feeling Lily was going to have a mother in the end.

"Jack, I'm curious. What is your grand scheme in the finding of Philip and Syrena?" wondered Angelica.

"He is a church fellow and she is unusually beautiful. We're bound to hear word of his teachings or her beauty," said Jack.

"Didn't think about that," admitted Angelica.

Jack grinned and looked at her. She smiled back at him. "You're not me no matter how hard you try," he reminded.

"And thank goodness you're not Jack Sparrow," said Gibbs in a tone of voice that sent shivers down both Angelica and Jack.

The sea dog wove his way through the crowd of walking residence to a large sign off of the docks and into the town itself.

Jack followed on his tail and Angelica beside him.

"It seems I would not have made it through Freeport," noted Jack.

Much to the dismay of the three companions, they came across a wanted poster for one Captain Jack Sparrow. The artists were becoming better at his drawing. Everything was down pat.

"Wanted," Jack read aloud. "For Captain Jack Sparrow, numerous crimes against the Crown including threatening His Majesty King George of England, two hundred pounds. Commands the vessel _Black Pearl_. Distinguished features being thick, corded hair, red bandana. Last seen in the company of the wanted pirate Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard. Proclamation by His Majesty King George of England."

"Well this is disturbing," noted Gibbs.

A strong voice behind them caused them all to flinch.

"What is disturbing is that he breathes today!"

Jack whipped around. "Wot makes him more despicable than the rest I wonder?"

"Have you not heard the tales of him?"

"I've heard a thing or two just as everyone else," stated Jack.

"If I ever saw him I would string him up with my own belt."

"Oh, well then, that's comforting," said Jack with a sheepish smile and turned away to quickly walk into the town and away from the building crowd.

Gibbs caught up to Jack and grabbed his arm to slow him down. "Don't let it get to you mate."

"Don't let it get to me. Mr. Gibbs, have you any idea wot it feels like to be spoken of in such a manner?" wondered Jack.

"You're not upset of the poster, but of what he said about you?" wondered Gibbs.

"It's madly insulting. I didn't even touch the King. All I did was steal a creampuff. Wanted for crimes I didn't do! I didn't even touch the Kingy!" cried Jack, waving his arms about to further defend his defense.

"Shh!" Angelica spat as she swat Jack across the back of the head. "Captain Teague," she said purposefully loudly to ensure the people observing Jack's scene knew his name. "Contain your voice. We are no longer aboard _Tristan_. We are in town."

Suddenly understanding and noticing the curious eyes, Jack nodded his head. He bowed his head. "My apologies Miss Drummond." He held out his right arm. "Shall we?"

Smirking, Angelica locked her left arm through Jack's and clutched his hand with her right hand. They strolled forward just as a happy couple would have.

"Well played Angelica," noted Gibbs.

"Relax Jack. Don't let it get to you," said Angelica.

"Easier said than done luv," replied Jack.

Ringing bells in the distance drew Jack's attention. He followed the sound and noticed other couples were headed towards the bells.

"Is it Sunday?" he asked softly.

"Aye," replied Gibbs.

"Oh, well, what say we attend a teaching in an as needed basis?" suggested Jack.

Angelica turned to him with a glare. "Faith is not an 'as needed basis' Jack."

"Faith is what a person believes it to be Angelica. My faith may not be the same faith as yours, but there is faith in my soul nonetheless," Jack told him.

"He does have a point," noted Gibbs.

"Yes, but I know his faith," snapped Angelica.

"Oh really," said Jack.

"Don't do this you two. If you haven't noticed we are walking inside a church. Now is not the time to start bickering," Gibbs told them.

Jack turned away from Angelica to observe his surroundings. Yep, he was stepping inside of a church. The last time he was in a church he impersonated a clergyman. Church dealings were not of his favored desire. There was something about it all that gave him chills. It just didn't seem right to let a book control one's life. Then again, he let the Code control his life and the Pirate Code was book. Religion and piracy were truly not different.

They sat and Jack's head began thinking and pondering. Both religion and piracy followed laws and a leader. They attended meetings and sessions. Preachers were like Pirate Lords; each man taught his own people lessons and kept watchful eyes upon them. Stories were passed from person to person as inspiration. All stories had the hero, the villain, and the moral lesson. Piracy's stories were a bit different than those of religious faith, but it was the same basic concept.

A tap on his shoulder broke him out of his concentration for a moment. He turned to Angelica and followed suit and stood on his feet. The singing began and he stared at the words. Religion's hymns were like the song that called the Pirate Lords together. In times of need, songs were sung and the melodies reached out to those of higher beings for assistance. All hymns and gospels were of the same meaning. Piracy had one song, and it was the song that described them as a whole. Calypso was bound in her bones by the King and his men. The seas were theirs for a time and they could do what they wanted. When the call is announced, the Lords come together. For as long as pirates banded together, they would never die.

He was dragged back on his bottom by both Gibbs and Angelica. Curious, his attention turned to the man that stood higher than them all. He was intrigued to see that it was not Philip himself leading the Churchly gatherings. His eyes scanned across the faces of all he saw before him. Being one of the last people to enter, he, Angelica, and Gibbs were in the second to last row. Philip was easier found than the thought. Jack spotted him sitting as dead center front as he could. Syrena sat beside him. While she shifted uncomfortably about, Philip gazed upward and listened intently.

A man questioning his faith indeed. Jack counted dozens of times when Philip either slumped or lowered his head in thought. With every standing and sitting done during the churchly time, he saw Syrena was in need of assistance and his arm was kept around her waist. Clearly no one was found that display inappropriate for a church environment which indicated everyone knew Syrena was weaker than the normal person. He also noticed Syrena was uncomfortable. She kept close to herself and quiet. Either she too felt chilled by religion or she was simply adapting to human nature.

Yet, there was one difference Jack found between religion and piracy and only one which was a contradiction of his thoughts on themselves. Religion followed the teachings of one holy person who stood above them all and determined their fate. There was no one of such fate in piracy. A man followed his own teachings and no others. Too many a pirate turned to someone higher than him, which ironically, was the same person religious peoples followed. So, in all reality piracy was a branch of religion then. Both peoples had their own meetings and guidelines, yet they looked up to the same person.

Once long ago, Jack remembered following religion. His father was actually a religious man once. Both of them were. They lost their faith in the so called Lord when Aisling Teague was taken by influenza. Jack kept his faith as long as he could for hope he would be reunited with his father, but over the years and all the abandoning Teague did to him, he felt there was no one. The so called Lord wouldn't have made him suffer as he did. He was living his own world of Hell and the Lord was supposedly there to take him out of it.

He prayed. He prayed every night and confessed to try to get a good blessing, but no good came from it. Churchly attending became less and less when he saw the night and day comparison to the teachings and his life he lost his faith in anyone but himself. His faith was faith in himself. Angelica's faith was obvious. Gibbs even followed the religious peoples more than he would like to admit to anyone.

Sitting there Jack felt anger swelling in his blood as he was partly listening to the teachings. It was all wrong. He shouldn't have been there. He believed in none of it because of what the world did to him. What he went through on a day to day basis was unfair and not justified by anything he did. He tried his hardest to keep his faith in the Lord, but the Lord seemed to have lost his faith in him and abandoned him.

With another rising of the people and the church organ beginning a tune, Jack shook his head. He didn't belong with them and he knew his soul was not welcomed. While the peoples began singing their praise, he took his faith in himself and quietly left the building. Shaking his head, he walked past Angelica, ignoring her expressions of wonder, and into the freedom of the light. He felt trapped in the large room. He needed the life of the world. Faith in himself kept him going, not the belief in someone he felt didn't exist.

Alone with his own faith and freedom, Jack began wandering Freeport and exploring. All taverns were closed of course as well as most businesses. Sunday was the day of rest and worship and renewing a man's faith. Keeping with the tradition of Sunday, Jack headed back to _Tristan_ to rest, worship the beautiful sunshine, and renew his faith by inhaling the freedom of the sea.

Not surprisingly as sailors were of faith themselves, Jack was the sole man on the docks of Freeport. He wandered down the dock and settled himself at the edge. Nothing but the sea was ahead of him. The sea was his faith. He woke up every morning knowing the sea and the tides would be right there. There was never a doubt in his mind that the sea would turn his back on him.

Sniffing. Jack heard sniffing. He looked before him seeing nothing. Turning his head he came face to face with a dog. "Hello," he greeted.

The dog leaned his golden tanned head closer while sniffing Jack's hand until a tongue licked up Jack's palm.

"Thank you," said Jack. He patted the dog's head.

He of course was no stranger to dogs as Louie was his father's dog and he was apparently liked by dogs because Louie had taken a liking to him right away.

The dog sat beside Jack and looked out to the sea as well.

Jack turned his attention to the dog again. The puppy, and it was just that it seemed, couldn't have been more than a few months old. Its nose was still scrunched towards its face. The floppy ears hung down on his head. His body was a combination of gold and tan fur in no apparent rhyme or reason. The tail was longer and sleek as well as the fur. The dog reminded Jack of a golden retriever he had once seen, but the face didn't look right and the floppy ears had a bit of a curl to them. The eyes were much too huge and brown for a retriever. Like Louie, the puppy was a mutt.

Unable to resist the huge brown eyes looking back up at him, Jack gently cupped the puppy's belly in his palms an lifted the dog close to his face. Those eyes. The huge caramel brown eyes and the scrunched nose and the small pink tongue were melting away at his heart. He couldn't stop staring at the eyes. All of a sudden the puppy leaned forward and licked Jack's nose. The fluffy tail was wagging back and forth and the pup whined.

"All right, all right," Jack laughed. "Well, if you're going to stay with me then you'll have to have a suitable name worthy of Jack Teague. You are of the male species correct?" The pup blinked at him. "Excuse me mate." Jack lifted the dog upward and nodded. "Yep, you're of my species. I think I'll call you Torin. Its meaning is chief in my native language of Gaelic. You like being called Torin?" The pup sneezed then licked Jack. "Torin it is then mate. Welcome to the crew."

Torin barked as he crawled out of Jack's arms. He ran around Jack a few times then tripped over Jack's boot and tumbled into the water with a yelp.

Yelping himself, Jack leaned over the dock. "Oh, good to know you swim."

Torin doggy paddled his way back to shore with Jack following him back. Thankfully the waves were not horrible. The pup walked into the sand and shook. He rubbed his paw on his nose and fell onto his side where he simply laid there and breathed.

"You hungry because I am?" wondered Jack. He patted his leg and whistled. "Torin. Come boy. Come on. Torin. Torin. Yes that's you. Come on pooch."

The puppy pranced behind Jack while barking. Jack called the dog by his name as he jogged backwards. He had a dog once when he was younger. He remembered all the little tricks to teaching a dog. His father did say there was no more loyal companion to a sailor than a dog who loved the water. There was no greater mending to a man's soul than a dog.

Because he was still small enough, Jack carried the pup onto the ship. He kept on hand firmly cupped on the pup's little bottom and the front paws were over his shoulder. Once on the ship, he set Torin down and let him sniff and explore. Of course, there was one small factor Jack hadn't considered yet when he decided to keep the puppy.

Torin sniffed around the mast and then squatted.

"No, no, no!" Jack cried rushing forward. "Eh, I forgot about that."

Much happier now, Torin ran over to Jack and wagged his tail. He barked up at him.

"All right all right, my fault. I'll get you a crate. Father said it's effective with Louie after a bit of training which you do need," noted Jack. "Ah, food. Sit. Stay." He moved forward and Torin got up as well. "No, no, no. Sit." Jack pushed the dog's furry bottom gently down while pointing his finger down. "This is sit, Torin. Sit means sit. Stay means stay there."

Recalling his former dog years and years ago, Jack slowly walked backward. Whenever Torin stood up again, Jack gently pushed him back down and told him "sit". The happy puppy panted but stayed for a few steps at a time only. Jack motioned the pup to stay there and he quickly disappeared below deck for a bucket and shovel to clean up the dog's business. When he returned, Torin was gnawing on the first step to the helm.

"I know I should let you continue gnawing by all rights of association to Barbossa, but I don't want you to get in that habit for when I revive my _Pearl_," he noted.

After business was cleaned up and a bucket of water thrown across the deck, Jack went over to Torin and swatted his nose firmly but gently. "No," he told him firmly.

Torin looked at him then stretched out and began chewing again.

Jack swatted the pup's nose again. "No!" he told him louder.

Torin's nose shot up in the air. His ears perked and his head tilted to the side. His eyes narrowed. Hairs stood up on end on the back of his furry neck. His nose sniffed heavily.

More and more Jack fell in love with the pup by simply watching Torin's alertness of the world. There was one advantage Teague told him to owning a dog that was the greatest advantage of them all. Dogs sensed what humans did not. The closer a man was to his dog, the more the dog would protect him and alert him.

Howling and barking, Torin scrambled to his feet and charged forward.

Jack turned and nodded his head. "He's a good guard dog isn't he?"

Gibbs and Angelica looked at the puppy sniffing and running around them.

"You're not serious about keeping him are you?" wondered Angelica.

"Course I am," said Jack as he approached. "He's our baby," he cooed as he lifted the dog and held him out towards Angelica. "My brains and your looks."

"In all honesty Jack, he looks like you," said Gibbs. He baby talked the puppy and rubbed behind his ears. "Yes you do pooch. You look like Jackie."

"What was that? You just upped and left. You don't do that Jack. You never, never do that in the middle of service!" snapped Angelica.

"You do if you're me mate. I lost me faith in your religion years ago," said Jack. He cradled his dog against him. "The only faith I can keep is the faith in myself."

"It's no wonder your life is surrounded by curses," said Angelica.

"I lost my faith when my father abandoned me, tried to kill me, and when I was marked a pirate for saving people. You know about the slaves Angelica. You know I freed them. Now tell me, why would I be punished for delivering souls to their promised land of freedom?" Jack told her. "I've tried to keep faith in your Lord, but he doesn't exist to me. My life has been a living hell from which I found no escape but through my daughter and Torin."

"Torin?" wondered Gibbs.

"My dog," said Jack.

"How do you know it wasn't my Lord who led the dog to you?" wondered Angelica with an arched eyebrow.

"Don't. Start. This," Gibbs told them, sliding between them. "If you two start arguing about religion and faith then you'll never stop. Philip is waiting. He invited us for lunch and I told him you had a proposition for him."

"Oh, good I could use some lunch. Torin needs to eat too," said Jack.

"Just how do you intend on keeping the ship clean with a dog Jack?" wondered Gibbs.

"I'll crate train him like me father did Louie all those years ago. Seeing as Torin is still a bit of a puppy he'll be easy to train. He's already learning sit," said Jack.

"This ought to be interesting," muttered Gibbs.

Now walking on land, the three and Torin over Jack's shoulder headed down into the town area. The puppy on Jack's shoulder was soon a sleepy puppy on Jack's shoulder. Jack felt the pup rest his head on his shoulder and completely fall into him. The pup lifted his head to yawn.

Angelica sighed. She couldn't help the words from her mouth. "He is adorable Jack."

"The sea and dogs do wonders on a man's soul," said Jack. He gently set Torin in Angelica's arms as though the puppy was a baby.

Giggling as the pup squirmed against her, Angelica shifted her arms into a more secure position. The pup's head was lying in the bend of her elbow and against her chest. His little front paws where upward as were his back paws. The tail hung down to gravity's call. Sleepily, Torin shut his eyes.

"That's a good look on you Aingeal," whispered Jack lovingly.

"Are you implying something Jack?" wondered Angelica with a playful smirk.

"We talked about children once," reminded Jack.

"Jack, that was long ago and we've changed," said Angelica, throwing out all reason.

"Perhaps," said Jack. "But you do have natural motherly instincts. How do I know? Peek at your arms. My dog is asleep, you're cradling him against you, and you're glowing."

"Then it seems he is our baby after all," noted Angelica with a soft smile.

A loving smile widened across Jack's face. Public displays of affection were never high on his lists of what he approved of and neither did the world, but they were out of the main town of hustle and bustle. He did have strong feelings for Angelica and she did look oddly beautiful cradling a puppy in her arms. The smile became a kiss on her cheek and an arm going around her waist and pulling her against him.

While walking, Angelica's head tilted to the side until she felt Jack's head against hers and Jack himself tilted to the side, further pressing against her.

Gibbs sighed romantically. They were utterly adorable and it made him nauseous to his stomach, but he just couldn't help but feel all warm inside because of their disgusting display of adorableness. Since he was walking behind them, he truly did see the image of Angelica holding her child and Jack protectively keeping his arm around them both. They were a sight that thousands of words could not describe well enough. Only an image had the power to capture the sight.

The more he observed them, the more he was beginning to see their near future. They were truly, honestly, and completely falling in love with each other all over again. That dog was not going anywhere. If need be, he himself would train the puppy for Jack. He should have found a dog for Jack a week ago. Who knew all it would take for the two of them to fall in love was a mutt?

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**no words can describe the feeling it brought me to see over 100 reviews!**

**as a side note, if it takes time to update this it is because i have dire need to continue my other stories as well. i know i have much too many in progress, but inspiration strikes when it does and usually curses me to write. have no fear, for this story is mostly where my inspiration strikes. **

**Torin, first of all, is pronounced TOH-rin with the "i" matching the sound of "e" in key. secondly, dogs do utter wonders to a person and Jack does need a loyal companion and friend other than humans.  
><strong>

**yes, Wills and Lily call Jack "Dread Pirate Roberts" during there playtime for a reason. not only is Princess Bride one of my favorite films but it is also in honor of Peter Falk, the Grandfather, who sadly passed recently.**

**okay, let me get this straight for no confusion or opinion, Jack's questioning with faith and religion are merely part of the story and of his own dilemma. no offense was meant when it was written.**

**the next chapter is mostly Philip and Syrena and their story as well as Jack's convincing, which is not much, for them to join his crew.**

**so, how adorable are Jack and Angelica becoming? likes? dislikes? questions? concerns? comments? thoughts? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!**


	11. Temporary Arrangements

**XXX Temporary Arrangements XXX**

Philip, the former missionary, and Syrena, the former mermaid, found their residence on the Grand Island near the coast. Their small, quaint home was nothing short of spectacular. From the looks of the outside, the wood was rotten and moist. Boards were threading at the ends and breaking away. Nails protruded variously throughout the entirety of the shack. Windows were merely framed broken glass. The door was halfway broken from its hinges and simply leaning against the frame.

Jack's nose wrinkled as he approached. Just how desperate were the two of them? It was hardly worthy of someone like Philip. He admitted to himself Philip was a headstrong young man quite capable of taking care of himself with his beliefs and thoughts. For a former missionary, he also noted Philip had a bit more muscle and a tanned body unnatural to one preaching the word of the Lord. There was more to Philip than met the eye he found.

A head poked through the broken doorway with an equally broken smile belonging to Philip. "You made it."

"Just how desperate are ye lad? Honestly, this is a shack with maggots ruling the wood rather than you," noted Jack. "Pathetic really."

"Jack?" inquired Philip, stepping from the doorway. His eyes were narrow as they searched the person of Jack Teague. "Jack Sparrow?"

"Teague," corrected Jack with a raised finger.

"You clean up well," noted Philip.

"And you dirty up well," responded Jack.

"I have no money for a suitable residence, yet this is something keeping me from the natural weather," said Philip.

Jack nodded his head. He tilted his head back and once again made to pull at the two braids that were not hanging from his jaw. Groping the nothingness of the air beneath his jaw, his fingers smacked together and his eyes narrowed. Drawing a deep breath of both annoyance and shame, he extended out his arms to claim his puppy against his person.

Torin shifted in his arms and his eyes opened for a moment. He saw he was over his "father's" shoulder once more then returned to his nap.

"And a dog," added Philip. "Never saw you as one for a dog."

"The father has one and I had one when I was a boy," replied Jack.

"You said something about lunch earlier," reminded Gibbs, butting between Jack and Angelica and patting his belly.

"Fish," said Philip with a nod.

"Syrena eats fish?" wondered Angelica.

"She eats animals of the sea yes," replied Philip.

"I thought mermaids and fish were friends and therefore did not each one another," noted Jack with an arched eyebrow of intrigue.

"Merfolk eat sea life and time brings merfolk to provide food for the sea life upon their deaths. All living elements of the earth thrive with each other and provide life," explained Philip. He motioned toward the door. "If you'll follow me."

"You're sure this little residence of yours isn't going to fall on top of me?" wondered Jack.

"Jack, I know you enough to see that a falling roof will not kill you. If you walk past wanted posters for Jack Sparrow you can certainly walk under my roof," said Philip.

"Thank you for reminding me about those misleading posters. And I did not threaten the King. I did not—"

"Touch him," finished Angelica with a snappy tone. "We know."

"All right, all right," said Jack. "Pushy today aren't we?"

First of them to move, Gibbs rolled his eyes as he stepped forward. And there they go again. One moment in the scheme of life they are a happy couple seeming to be newly married; the next moment with the passing time they turn against one another and pick. He was going to have to locate a few more puppies to entertain the two of them.

"It's not much as you can see, but it's something," Philip said as he hurriedly entered the shack before them.

Angelica exchanged a glance with Jack as both simultaneously turned to each other. The two of them had seen their worst of places to sleep, but they may have found the worst.

Buckets were on the floor below holes in the ceiling. The ceiling itself left natural air ventilation, yet protected the two residents from the outside elements with a canvas cover. Furniture—two chairs, cot, sofa, cabinet, dresser—was either eaten by maggots, soggy from nature, of falling apart. Moth attacked carpeting and curtains were a little faded color to the gloom. One room was all.

"Hello my Lord."

Jack rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the former mermaid who was lying across the sofa. "Syrena, luv, don't call me that. You are not a mermaid anymore and therefore you do not call me King or Lord. I'm thinking I have need to inform Tonra he is Lord once and for all."

"Excuse me?" wondered Philip.

"It's a long story," said Jack.

"King?" asked Angelica.

"Of the merfolk," said Jack with a sigh knowing he would have need to explain anyway.

"I've seen many a legend come to life Jack, but a King of mermaids?" laughed Philip.

"There be mermen as well mate," Jack told him with a raised finger.

"You're serious," noted Philip.

"Yup," replied Jack with a smile.

"Tonra has command when Jack cannot," Syrena said while combing her hair with her fingers.

Philip turned to her. His eyes shifted between Jack and Syrena hardly believing any of the words spoken from them were true words. One month ago, mermaids were a simple legend sailors spoke of due to madness in the Doldrums. Now, he had taken companionship with one who saved his life and it was by her doing that he questioned his place on Earth. But an entire culture of merfolk including mermen was a bit too far.

Seeing his distress and wonder, Syrena slowly shifted her legs from their outstretched position to bending them with the angle of the sofa. She pushed herself forward then stretched them outward again. "He was much younger then, in his teen years as you say. We were under the control and rule of the Blue-tails, Morveren, Aquila, Aquala. For thousands of years we merfolk thrived under a system. Blue-tails were the rulers, commanders of all the merfolk. Green-tails were of the army. Red-tails were servants to serve all those above us. If we failed, the Blue-tails would secure us half in the water half out as torture to remind us we served. It was because of them humans seeking the Fountain learned to tie mermaids to those pools. Some of us were left out completely to remind us as we passed them. We were treated no better than your slaves. Betrayed and tortured by our own people, we had no choice but to serve for thousands of years."

The anger in her voice reflected darkness in her eyes as she spoke of the treatment of the Red-tails. Her breaths were heavy and her eyes were looking at nothing in particular, but perhaps into the memories of her own past.

"You, you had a red tail," noted Philip to himself. He immediately seated himself beside her. Gently, he set the palm of his hand on the cheek opposite her. He turned her head and saw the tears in her eyes. "You were born a servant weren't you?"

Syrena nodded her head with a quivering lip.

"It is said that the Red-tails were made to serve because they were the most beautiful of the mermaids. Red is the color of love and therefore they were meant to lure men into the sea beds," Jack shared.

Agreeing with those words, Syrena nodded and continued. "Jack Sparrow appeared. He overthrew the Blue-tails and destroyed the crystals binding us to their bidding by means of the Trident. The Blue-tails were protected from the Trident by Calypso. They were not compelled to do the bidding of anyone but themselves. We were freed by Jack to live our own lives how we wanted and Jack was made King of all merfolk. When he is unable to inquire upon us, Tonra, a rare Purple-tail, is commander and he rules fairly and justly. Jack saved my life and I saved his."

"Helped save mine. You provided a tear," said Jack.

"Because it was beautiful," said Syrena.

"I know. Tonra told me the incidents that occurred after I found the Fountain," said Jack.

"Speaking of the Fountain," Gibbs spoke up. "Philip, what happened? Will mentioned something along the lines of you drinking the Water of Life as well."

"Yes," replied Philip, subconsciously intertwining his fingers through Syrena's hands.

"Tell us, please," requested Angelica.

Syrena nodded her head. "He was hurt and I knew of only one way to save him. I brought him to the Water of Life…"

_Feeling him weighing heavy against her in her arms, Syrena swam as quickly as her tail fluttered. He was losing air quickly. Unlike her, he could not breathe from the air in the water. She saw the flickering light from the reflecting water above. Faster and quicker, she swam, reaching an arm out to carve through the water._

_At that moment Philip felt air upon his face, he gasped. Inhaling burned his lungs, yet returned life to them. He clutched the rocky side._

_Not leaving him from her grasp, Syrena pulled herself upward out of the water with one arm. Less than gently as she would have preferred, Philip was pulled from the water. She laid his head in her lap._

"_Syrena, it's awfully cold," quivered Philip, his legs curling against himself._

_A hand caressed his brow while another pressed his arm onto his belly._

_Her eyes gazed upon the scene around her. Crumbled rock foundation of the Fountain of Youth. Two crushed chalices. Bones of men sacrificed before. The beauty that was once the Fountain of Youth was tragedy at her time of need. Before, she intended to retrieve the chalices for her own matters knowing Philip was injured when he came back for her. Jack needed them more. By the time she returned to Philip to carry him to the Fountain, all souls should have been gone and she was correct. She failed to notice the Fountain itself was crumbled and the trickle of water was no more._

_For the first time in her life, she felt grief and sadness procuring tears. Only beauty and happiness provided her with tears until now. She was grieving and mourning the man who was different. He named her, cared for her, came back to her, was going to die for her._

_She lowered her head with a sad smile into his weakening eyes. He halfway smiled at her._

"_Calypso, Poseidon, I know the secrets of these waters. I know they flow below. Please, I beg you; allow me the keys to sacrifice my tail for his life," she pleaded softly into his eyes, yet her words spoke to others._

_Nearly, immediately following her lips pressing together, she felt a hand cup her shoulder gently. Her head turned expecting the Gods themselves. "Who are you?"_

"_Let's just say I master the seas and captain the _Flying Dutchman_," replied Will._

_Syrena's eyes widened. She lowered her head in respect._

_Will took no notice to her humble gesture. He knelt beside Philip's belly to inquire upon his wound. The arm was removed allowing blood to freely flow from the person. Shaking his head he sighed heavily. "I am the one with the key to the Water."_

"_Save him," pleaded Syrena._

"_I will not sacrifice your life for his," Will told her._

"_But I have two lives to live. I will never swim with my sisters again to live one life upon land with him. I am mermaid," replied Syrena._

"_Well, that changes things a bit," admitted Will. He turned his attention above her to his father. "What do you think?"_

"_There is love between them Son," noted Bill as he too knelt. "I know you do not find this to your fancy, but she does have two lives and you won't be ferrying her soul afterward. I say allow it."_

"_I knew you were going to say that," muttered Will._

"_You feel as well as I that his soul is strong and deserves this chance to live," added Bill._

"_I know, I know," sighed Will. He turned to Syrena. "You know what you are sacrificing yes?"_

"_I do," replied Syrena._

"_You know you will be human and must become one never to swim with your sisters and kin again," added Will._

"_If I am human then my kin is such," replied Syrena confidently._

_Will rolled his eyes as he grumbled. How he hated sacrificing souls for another soul. Ferrying them was bad enough, but to sacrifice them he absolutely hated. He swore to himself when he was given the key to the Fountain of Youth that no soul was going to drink from it again unless there was worthy cause. Love, he supposed, was a worthy enough cause and this woman did have two lives to spare. _

"_Fine," he said. "Take him to the doorway below."_

"_I don't think he has that time Son. Get the water," said Bill, noticing how quietly Philip was lying in Syrena's arms._

_Agreeing with one look at the young man, Will nodded. He collected the destroyed chalices before disappearing from the slab of stone. Not long passed before he returned with the chalices in hand._

_Syrena slowly slid out from Philip's head setting him gently onto the stone. She was unsure what to do exactly, but assumed she was to be a mermaid when the sacrifice was given and therefore dove into the pools. Silently, she felt herself obtaining a tail and scales. As for the tear, she felt them in her eyes yet no drops formed. _

_She feared she wouldn't procure one in time, but when Philip choked and coughed, blood dripped from the side of his mouth. Dying. He was nearly dead and she reached her hand out to him. When he felt her touch, his head turned._

"_Love you," whispered Philip._

_The tear. She felt several tears emerge from her eyes. "I love you," she replied._

_Will caught one of those tears in a chalice that was administered to Philip._

_Syrena squeezed her eyes shut as she drank from the other. She was uncertain and dreadfully frightened what was going to happen next. Never before had she heard of a mermaid successfully destroying one life without destroying the other, yet if it meant Philip's life to live, her sacrifice would be worth it all._

_A sudden blur of confusion came over her. She was surrounded by water and pulled under the waves. Unlike normally, her tail was ripped in two. Every fiber in her body felt as though it was changing and shifting. Her skin became cold and smooth of flesh. Her blood was boiling. She inhaled once and found the water in her lungs was not welcomed. She was unable to breathe the air from the water. Drowning. Her body sunk deeper into the pool as her arms and legs kicked. Without her tail she could not swim. _

_Humans drown. No air in her lungs, she weakened as she sank deeper and deeper in to the pools with the reflective light above her. Philip was going to live. Her merlife was taken from her. Sadly, as a human for mere moments, the water that birthed her was killing her._

_Yet, when she did open her eyes again, she was comfortable. Her body was lying upon a soft object, softer than any sea sponge she felt herself having slept upon before. Warmth was wrapped around her like the cloth Philip kept around her._

_Philip! There he was sitting beside her in an object she thought was a chair. His back was hunched forward, arms and head lying upon the same soft object as her. One hand was holding hers. With every sound of inhalation, his back rose and fell with each exhale. Color was in his face again. Cloth was also wrapped around him. He was sleeping. He was so beautiful as he slept beside her, watching her like he had done since they met._

_Different pressure opposite her drew her attention and she turned her head. "You again?"_

"_Yes me again," said Will with a smile. He touched her forehead with his fingertips. "Aye, you'll be all right now. You gave Philip a fright. He thought you were dead when I brought you back from the water. He's not left you since. Don't worry though; you've only been out for a few hours."_

"_What is this?" wondered Syrena softly as she patted the object below her._

"_It's called a cot and you are wrapped in a blanket," replied Will. "We humans sleep here."_

"_I feel different. I feel warm. The air smells different. Everything feels different," noted Syrena._

"_You're human now. You're no longer a mermaid," reminded Will._

"_Syrena?" Philip's voice asked as he raised his head. Seeing her awake, his eyes widened. He instantaneously placed his arms around her back to lift her into a tight, desperate embrace against his torso. "I thought I was going to lose you."_

"_This feels different. I feel your arms against my skin. I feel the comfort and warmth flesh brings," whispered Syrena._

"_Why did you do it?" wondered Philip. "Why did you sacrifice half your life for me? I am not deserving of such a sacrifice."_

"_I love you Philip. I know the meaning of love. I saw it once. A woman, a man, and a child were at the Fountain. He was hurt and she was trying to save his life. She knew nothing that was needed, and yet she continued having him drink the water. She loved him. It was beautiful. I gave her a tear for his life. He was spared to raise his child. I never thought I would find that same love that I dreamed of seeing until you came along. I knew you were different the moment I saw you. Like her, I cannot live without knowing you are alive."_

_Sudden tears emerged from Philip's eyes as he smiled teary at her. His lips quivered as he pressed them against hers. Wholly, he pulled her body against his, cradling her against him on the cot. The blanket was wrapped tighter around her body._

_Happy, truly happy for the first time in her life, Syrena smiled. She never wanted to be a mermaid anyway. After living a slave for many, many years as a mermaid, she found humans intriguing and Philip was the most intriguing of them all. He wanted her not for her tears of more years, but her wholly body and soul as a companion to love._

_She rubbed her cheek into his chest listening to his beating heart. His lips pressed against her forehead then his cheek remained against her skin. She clutched his hand tighter._

"_I'm going to take you to the Grand __Bahama__ Island and teach you all you need to know of being a human. __You've__ learned how to love, which is the greatest teaching a human can learn," whispered Philip. He kissed her forehead again. "I love you, Syrena. I never thought I would be blessed with such love. It was not God who brought me to you. No, it was the winds and the tides that caused our meeting. Two nights and two days are unnatural for two different souls to find love in the hands of the Lord."_

"_Philip stop talking," whispered Syrena. "All I want to hear is your heart."_

_Mentally taking a hint to himself, Will quietly left his quarters. He took himself to the helm where he adjusted course to Grand __Bahama Island__._

Clearing her throat, Angelica wiped away the tears in her eyes. Curse her female emotions. She smiled at the two of them. "It's a fairy tale."

"A what?" wondered Syrena.

"A story we tell children. You remember the story of Cinderella? That's a fairy tale," said Philip.

"Oh," said Syrena. She curled into Philip. "All right."

"Sorry that took so long mates," said the Mer-king as he entered through the door again. "Little Torin here decided he had to sniff everything that moved before attending to his business."

"Jack, I wasn't aware ye left," noted Gibbs.

"Yup, but now I'm back," said Jack with a smile as he and his puppy sat on the floor.

"So what was that proposition Joshamee mentioned?" wondered Philip.

"What was that about lunch Joshamee mentioned?" asked Jack.

"Oh right, fish!" cried Philip.

He leapt from the sofa to a boiling pot beside the hearth. The top was lifted open and then slammed shut. Sheepishly, he turned to them.

"I'll buy lunch," muttered Jack.

A hundred times over and over, Philip told Jack he would repay him somehow. It was his fault the fish turned to ooze the pot, as he had forgotten about it. Jack told him a hundred times not to worry about it since the money wasn't his anyway. Between himself, Gibbs, and Angelica and their walk into town, there was well enough money to provide a good lunch and clothes for Philip and Syrena.

Still questioning his faith in the world, Jack was silent most of that day. He chose to leave Syrena's story when she mentioned Will's arrival. He did not want to hear Anamaria's choice. Seeing his daughter was without a mother and a father who was never there did enough regret to his soul. Angelica truly didn't know what happened that day or why he stayed with Anamaria as long as he did. Perhaps Leo-Vinci was right after all. Gibbs may have been onto something when he mentioned the two of them needed to talk. He didn't understand Angelica or her reasons. She was harder to read than a dead language.

Philip and Syrena were not helping his cause either. Arm in arm the walked and it was not only because she was accustoming to her land legs. There was no need for both her arms to wrap around his and to lay her head on his shoulder as they walked. They were absolutely pathetic. He once thought Will and Elizabeth were pathetic with their longing gazes of love into each other's eyes with no words of love shared between them. Nope, seeing the former missionary and the former mermaid caused his stomach to feel nauseous.

Yet, there was a question in his mind and he quickened his pace behind Philip to wrap an arm around him. "What happened to your faith? You don't look certain if preaching your wisdom of you know who is what you want and I can't help but to notice your little crucifix isn't around your little neck."

"The Devil opened my eyes Jack," Philip began explaining with a heavy sigh. "Blackbeard showed me the world as it is. Missionaries see the world as God intended, but with all the evil and darkness Blackbeard brought, I question whether the world truly has God's intentions. Why would He create such a man of pure evil? Why would He torture a young woman for her tears? Why would He allow two people to fall in such love in two days? Many questions and no answers. I do not understand. I feel life itself and not the Word of God will answer my questions."

"The Sea has ways of answering a man's questions," hinted Jack.

"I believe it," admitted Philip. "I've been an orphan since as long as I can remember. I was raised by the Church, Jack. They told me to go out and spread the Word. I tried that and was taken to the Devil. I've always questioned who I am in the world."

"Why don't you just come along with us?" suggested Jack. He carried his hand across the air in front of him as if displaying the picture. "Imagine it. You and Syrena sailing under my command. Magical swords. Voodoo dolls. Days and nights upon the sea. Epic, glorious battles. Revenge on those who deserve it most. Travelling to exotic locations. Eating good food and sleeping on a ship where the rain won't wash you away at night. Going wherever the wind wants us. Think about it. Let the winds and tides show you who a man is."

"What's in it for me Jack?" wondered Philip, not at all buying the enthusiasm in Jack's voice.

"Getting away from this island and doing something with your life besides moping around wondering who you are and a maggot infested shack," Jack said.

"What's in it for you?" asked Philip.

"I need the Sword of Cortés to get my ship back and we need to get that voodoo doll's connection out of me," snapped Jack.

Syrena laughed. "You need the Sword again?"

"Shut it former Scaly Tail," Jack said.

"Oh Jack, I feel you are on this Earth to renew a man's faith because disaster follows in your footsteps," noted Philip.

Less than amused, Jack pushed away from Philip's and Syrena's laughter.

"I have to agree with him Jack," admitted Gibbs.

"Do any of you have any faith in me that I won't get you killed?" wondered Jack.

"Yes," replied Angelica. "I believe."

Torin trotted over to Jack and sat in front of him wagging his tail.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Jack as he took his puppy into his arms again.

"All right, we're in," said Philip with a clap on Jack's shoulder.

"Well," cried Jack excitedly. "That wasn't much convincing."

"And I still know connections to the sea. My memories and knowledge remain with me," added Syrena.

"Oh, good to know," said Jack. He pushed his way between them and set an arm around both their shoulders. "So, can you sail under the command of Captain Jack Teague?"

"Oh here we go," muttered Gibbs to Angelica.

"Jack, get over it," said Angelica.

"And wot should I be a getting over?" wondered Jack.

"Your egocentric image of yourself," replied Angelica.

"No, no, no!" cried Gibbs as he stood in front of Angelica. "Don't do this."

"Jack, Angelica, you two are acting like you're engaged," laughed Philip. "You nitpick over the smallest of things like you can't decide what cake you're going to eat or where you are going to be married."

"French vanilla cake, white frosting," replied Jack.

"Andalucía," added Angelica.

Philip chuckled at their responses. "I never meant for you two to answer."

"Noon wedding to be exact," said Jack.

The amusement on Philip's face died with his laughter. He looked between them. "You're serious? You two were engaged to be married once?"

"And he left me standing at the altar," snapped Angelica

"You weren't ready Angelica, and I didn't know what you were going to do to me after we were married," Jack said to her face.

"So you went and broke my heart!" Angelica cried.

"I didn't want you doing the same to me!" Jack hollered back at her.

"What are you talking about?" wondered Angelica.

"Not here," said Gibbs through his teeth.

"I'll be on the ship if you need me," stated Jack.

Not allowing Angelica's voice to persuade him to stay a moment longer, he turned on his heels. With a huff, his nose was tilted into the air. Woofing Torin followed him.

Angelica let out a fitful, frustrated scream as she turned the opposite direction Jack was walking.

"Ay, ay, ay," muttered Gibbs as he squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"They were engaged?" wondered Philip pointing a finger at both of them. "How are they still alive?"

"I don't know," said Gibbs.

"They need to talk," noted Syrena.

"A bloody mermaid who hardly knows them agrees with me. The question is how we get them to talk?" wondered Gibbs.

"Tie them together," suggested Philip.

"Jack escapes rope like he escapes death," said Gibbs.

Philip leaned his head closer to Gibbs slyly grinning. "I never said use rope."

"Chain them together. I like it," noted Gibbs.

"Men," Syrena sighed with an eye roll.

Alone with her thoughts as usual, Angelica found herself walking the shoreline near sunset. Her shoes and the lower portion of her skirt were clenched in the palm of her hand. The tides washed waves over her feet then escaped back into the whole of the ocean. Why couldn't she and Jack have one day where someone didn't remind them of the past? Every day someone reminded them of their former engagement. No one knew how it hurt her to be reminded that Jack was not there. Yet, why was he not there? He was the one who proposed marriage and then decidedly went against it.

Over and over, she knew she kept wondering why he changed his mind and heart. He loved her and she loved him so long ago and that same love was rekindled again. They couldn't stand to be in the same room together, but they needed each other. If he would just sit down and listen for once in his life then she would talk. They had to talk. She needed to tell him a few things about her life between him.

Determined to get that talk underway, she mustered her courage by drawing a deep breath. No more secrets. They had to understand each other. Jack was never one to do things on his own without a little push. He was afraid and she knew that. She had to be the stronger of the two like she had been when they were together.

Her right foot stepped on the deck of _Tristan_ and her head was raised. She intended to call for Jack's name, but a gasp escaped her mouth instead.

Rose petals. Hundreds of red rose petals fluttered the deck as if roses rained upon the gleaming wood while she was gone. White candles were displayed all around in various places. The setting sun behind gleamed golden light onto the wood. Reds, blues, violets, and oranges flowed across the sky. Stars were beginning to pain the dark indigo. No one was on the ship save for her. Everywhere she turned rose petals fluttered the deck and flew in the breeze like the flying in her heart and stomach.

Once upon a time, long ago, she stepped onto a ship known as the _Wicked Wench_ and found herself standing upon a deck of red rose petals and white candles at sunset. After a moment of looking around, Jack Sparrow approached her and lowered to a knee.

And there she was standing on the deck of _Tristan_ with rose petals and white candles at sunset. Her head was shaking back and forth as her hands covered her mouth.

Footsteps quietly emerged from the helm in the form of Jack Teague. His hair was pulled back tightly by a ribbon and he was merely dressed in trousers and a tunic, yet she had not seen him look as handsome before. He approached her and it was then when she noticed his face was a bit pale.

"Surprise," he whispered.

"Jack," Angelica said with a struggle. She continued trying to speak yet words did not escape her.

"I've been thinking. Perhaps Philip was right. Perhaps we should be engaged," said Jack. "It would save our skins more than pretending we are people we aren't. Jack Sparrow is not a man to engage himself to one woman. The world knows that. Jack Teague, I'm quite certain he can handle one woman for a time."

Angelica shook her head. She regained her composure as she lowered her hands from her palm. "No. No, Jack. I'm not doing this again. I am not going to say I am engaged to you for hiding who I am."

"It's a good idea," Jack said.

"I'm not letting you play with my heart," said Angelica.

"I'm playing with my own heart," Jack told her, exasperated.

"We've been down this road before Jack. It left me more wounded than I've ever been," Angelica said, choking on her words.

Tears coming to her eyes, she turned her back to him.

Jack grabbed her arms before she had the thought to walk away from her. His hands were quivering around her arms.

"I'm not going to let you break my heart again Orion," Angelica said. She sighed and raised her head to the sky. "That's just what you are. You are Orion, a picture in the sky so far from that of a woman's claim."

One of her arms was released and the other was twirled around her head so that her front torso faced Jack. She turned away before he could see the tears upon her face. She was stronger than this. She was not going to let the love she wished she had again break her down. No more love. She promised herself she was never going to love again. She _would_ _not_ fall under Jack Sparrow's charms again. He caused pain, not love.

"You broke mine as much as I broke yours. In fact I believe you broke mine more than I broke yours," said Jack.

"I highly doubt that," breathed Angelica turning her back to him again.

"Aingeal," called Jack in a whispered tone as both hands gripped her forearms again.

He spoke her name like a prayer. Angelica shook her head. She was not going to do this again. She couldn't. A hand reached down to her left hand. The fluttering in her stomach grew. She felt something pressed into the palm of her hand before her fingers were clenched shut.

"It is rightfully yours and every woman should have a diamond," Jack said softly.

Angelica heard footsteps walking away from her. She wanted to walk away, yet her eyes lowered as her clenched left hand rose to her chest. Each finger uncurled as though there was a penetrating force not allowing her to move.

She saw a diamond ring the palm of her left hand. No! Impossible. Could it truly be? Long ago, she ripped the diamond ring from her finger before she left him. She set it in his hand and walked out on him. After all these years, he still had it? That was hardly Jack Sparrow at all. He would have sold it for money or given it to one of his many loves. Why would he have taken the bother and worry to keep the ring in his possession? Surely it was ring he bought that day—stole that day.

A grin winded upon her face. When the ring was set on the second finger from the left, it slid perfectly between the pinky and middle finger as though it was mean to be there. This _was_ the ring he gave her the day he asked her to marry him. The rose petals. The candles. Sunset. He planned all of it just like it was long ago.

"Jack," she called as she turned around, not expecting to turn directly into him.

Not allowing her to move, Jack wrapped his arms around her, one around her shoulders and the other around her waist. "Aye?"

There was a fire burning in Jack's eyes from not only candlelight alone. Passion flamed in his eyes. Love warmed the brown. He was a young man all over again, frightfully asking the girl he loved to marry him. His breaths were normal, yet his heart was sending blood through him in a rapid pace.

"Fine," Angelica said softly. She took the ring from her finger and held it between them. "We can act we are engaged to be married. The need is there for a protection beside appearance. Wanted posters in every port and piracy following us and you not being able to take yourself away from Jack Sparrow are too risky. Jack Sparrow would never take one as you said. Jack Teague is only temporary and therefore this engagement will only be temporary correct?"

"Of course it will," said Jack.

"Why like before?" wondered Angelica, motioning to the roses.

"You know me Angelica. When it comes to women, I know how to be charming and romantic," said Jack with a sly grin.

"Where did get all the roses?" asked Angelica.

"Let's just say I wrote a friend of mine," replied Jack.

"Will?" assumed Angelica.

"He owes me," said Jack with a shrug.

"We are only going to play this for as long as we play Teague and Drummond. This doesn't mean I'm going to let myself fall in love with you all over again," Angelica told him sternly.

"Fair enough," agreed Jack confidently as he took the ring from her grasp. "Now, since I am who I am, I want to do this this properly."

Their once fairy tale replaying in front of them, Jack knelt on his left knee. Both her hands were grasped in his left hand while the right held the ring before him. He felt her trembling heart between his grasp and she felt his. There was much more than simply holding of hands between them.

"Angelica, will you become engaged to me. Temporarily?" Jack asked.

"Yes. _Temporarily_," replied Angelica.

Jack grinned as the ring was placed on her finger. "Good. And, when we decide we don't have the desire to be engaged anymores, you can keep the ring. It's yours anyway. I did buy it for you in this same situation years ago."

"This is that ring?" wondered Angelica.

"Of course it is," Jack said casually with an amused expression on his face. He stood. "Aye, Angelica Drummond, I kept the ring you once wore on this finger. Why? I'll let you come up with that reason yourself."

"Jack, this only temporary," Angelica reminded him coolly.

"I know," said Jack confidently. "I'm just saying I kept your engagement ring if ever I was to marry a girl. Seeing as we are doing this, I figured you may as well have it back and keep it. All women need diamonds Angelica."

"Thank you," said Angelica. "Now, you really should remove the candles and rose petals."

Jack waved his hand casually. "Nah, I happen to like them," he said as he walked up each step to the helm where he took a guitar in hand.

At the bow of the ship, Angelica stood alone once again. The ring on her finger was her former engagement ring. Jack did keep it all the years between them as though he knew they would come across each other again by happen chance. He was like that though; he seemed to know when events were going to happen.

She loved him. There was no denying it to herself any longer. She loved Jack Sparrow, Teague, all faces of Jack. Jack loved her. He never once told her he loved her since they reunited and she told him countless times. Was this an indication that he trusted her? Was this his "I love you"? He told her to prove her love to him, yet he was the one who was loving her.

What exactly did he mean when he told her she may have hurt him more than he hurt her? Some things were beginning to come together in her head. Jack Sparrow was always one to fear love. Every person he ever loved betrayed him or died. When he mentioned that he was unsure if she loved him or not on their wedding day, he must have seen something she didn't. He must have worried for himself. With matters of love and feelings, he was a cautious man. He knew the agonies of love better than her.

Jack was telling her he loved her without truly saying it. Perhaps it was time for her to do the same. All she did to prove her love was tell him "I love you". He had done more than she thought. She fell back in love with him all over again because he was showing her love rather than saying it. Words meant nothing to him as they always had. Actions spoke greater than words.

It was all right there in front of her. Jack Sparrow loved her still.

Angelica lowered her left hand to the railing where her right covered the ring. She would not allow Jack to know she had fallen for him again. There was far more danger if the world knew they were in love. If anything happened to Jack, she would not allow emotion to persuade her thoughts. Feeling and emotion in times of desperation led to terrible consequences and blindness.

She was unable to contain the grin upon her lips however. Only to herself would she admit she loved Jack.

Playing his guitar, Jack leaned his head back until gently resting against the wood. Both feet were pressed against the wood in front of him, one directing ahead of him and the other over the first stair. A smile widened across his face. Comforting satisfaction warmed him. She did love him like he wanted her to. Love was far from his trust, but with love came trust. Or was it trust and then love? Whichever, she loved him.

Words couldn't describe how he still loved her and what drove him to throw himself at women after they separated. They had to talk. There was no doubt about it; they had to talk and finally settle it. Arguing was getting them nowhere in the world. Desperate times called for desperate measures. He was absolutely certain she could not escape from chains as easily as she did from rope.

He loved her and he had a feeling she realized it finally. Pushing her and angering her did nothing other than rekindle the flames. However, as he often knew, love had to be taken with care. He would never tell her he loved her. Allowing her to see romance permitted her to perceive the event any way she so desired.

Proposing to her again and using careful words allowed her to decide if he was truly intending to marry her or if it was just temporary. Yet, if she deepened the meaning behind every word he spoke, she would see something he couldn't believe he felt was right in his life.

"I told you I would use it someday Angelica," he whispered to himself then turned to her. "And you have no idea."

Softly to himself, he laughed. His eyes were once again shut as he settled himself with his guitar and music. Words meant nothing to him for a reason. People understood words immediately, unlike actions where thought was required and when that thought put the puzzle together, everything seemed so much more meaningful in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**reviews, story alerts, favorite story, favorite author-all of you are amazing!  
><strong>

**well, that didn't take as long as i thought, partly because sudden inspiration struck after i saw On Stranger Tides for a fifth time last night, and i did manage to pick away at my other stories.  
><strong>

**as you can see, more of the Jack Sparrow series came into play, particularly Vol 12: Bold New Horizons. the story of the merfolk and Jack taking command over them is featured in that book.**

**as for Philip and Syrena, there is their story. how do you like it? makes sense to me. **

**as for Jack and Angelica...are they engaged as before or not? hm, i wonder. romantic yes?**

**oh, Jack and Angelica are going to get that talk they much need in the next chapter.  
><strong>

**so, what do you think? questions? comments? likes? dislikes? anything at all? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!  
><strong>


	12. Taking Advantage

**XXX Taking Advantage XXX**

Discomfort. Jack's narrow, close eye on Angelica spotted discomfort. Her persona was uncommonly uncomfortable and odd. She paced back and forth from the bow to the cabins and then port to stern. Her hands went from around her stomach to squeezing her sides. She did not stand still or sit for very long. Unlike her normally, her clothes were dark and loose fitting. Yep, there was something not right about her at all.

Tapping out a tuneless song on his lips with his forefinger, Jack's eyes further narrowed. His head cocked to the side. Questions and a possible answer loomed on those lips of his. Eying movement beside him, he grabbed the arm and less than gently pulled Phillip beside him.

"You watch the helm," he requested.

"Uh, Jack, I've never," stammered Phillip.

"Not my ship and so if you sink it then no loss," Jack said as he waved his arm behind him toward Phillip.

With care, his bare feet wandered forward to an uncomfortable Angelica. He plastered a smile on his face as he stood beside her. "I cannot help but to notice you seem discomforted," he said.

Angelica sighed with a huff as she pressed her fingertips into her sides. "Really?" she snapped.

Jack raised two apologetic palms. "Oh-kay. Just looking out for you."

"Jack," began Angelica with a small groan. She bent over, pushing her fingers into her sides more. Regaining composure, she stood and breathed heavily. "Do not do this with me right now. I am not in the mood."

Enjoying his new found game of amusement, he chased after Angelica. "You know, I've been told I am good with distracting the mind and you appear as though you need some distraction."

Angelica mockingly laughed. "Ha! You are a living distraction."

"Come now Angelica, you told me I was cute when I wanted something and right now I want something," said Jack with a pout on his lips.

"What do you want?" Angelica snapped as she ended her continuous pacing.

"I merely wish to inquire what has you in such a discomforted mood luv," replied Jack.

"You would never understand," Angelica told him.

"I might," said Jack leaning closer.

Huffing and groaning, Angelica wrapped her forearms around her belly again. Her feet continued the never ending pacing.

One former Sparrow stood on the center of the deck leaning against the mast. His spine conformed to the large wooden tree and foot pressed against the wood. An unneeded trimming of his fingernails was called to order. His brown orbs observed the woman he was with temporary engagement. The smirk on his lips grew as all the obvious signs came together in his head.

Miss Drummond wore a loose tunic to cover her torso and a deep, brick red skirt with all appearance of black in the shade. Arms either wrapped around her belly or fingers pressed into her side. When there was no pacing, her torso leaned over in pain. Eyes shut and heavy breathing were often signs of pain and she was practicing just that. He thought she had been a bit more snippier than usual.

Shaking his head, he laughed to himself. How little everyone assumed he knew of woman. There were very good reasons Jack Sparrow was known for his women.

Angelica walked past him and he clasped his fingers around her wrist. Of course, she turned to protest and he pushed his person from the mast.

"Come, Angelica," said Jack with an amused expression on his face.

"What?" Angelica third snapped, third groaned, and third screamed.

"Trust me luv," added Jack while dragging her by the arm forward.

A low pitch whistle sounded from Jack's lips then rose higher and fell until fading. The next sound beyond the creaking of the ship and the wind in the sails was that of a dog's claws clambering to his feet and trotting towards them. Torin was first to disappear beyond the antique doors of glass and wood into the main cabin followed by Jack pulling Angelica along.

He sat his temporary fiancée on a chest. With a motion of his fingers that he would return in a moment, he walked backwards to the doors. Both doors were shut and the curtains pulled across the transparent glass. The key inside the lock was turned to the right. Humming a tune of nonsense, Jack presented the key towards her. As he slipped the key under the small escape between door and deck, his humming pitch heightened.

"What?" began Angelica.

Absolutely aware the key was no longer in his possession leaving the two of them and a puppy imprisoned within three rooms, Jack whistled and nodded his head. He hummed a waltz composed by himself on the footstep as he danced around the room collecting and gathering items. As each item was collected, he spun and danced like he would have done with a lady.

Angelica noticed before long, he danced around the three rooms while all collected items were placed in his private cabin across from hers. Though the venture to Carolina was nearly halfway through, she silently thanked Jack for his common sense. While Jack rightfully slept in the main quarters off the right of the great cabin, he allowed the first mate, that being her, to reside where the first mate slept. Her own private quarters were to the left of the great cabin. They were across from each other, separated by nothing but a door, room, and another door, and yet their lives were intact as well as sanity.

Not quite expecting Jack to sweep her off her feet with a waltz, she gasped and glared at him.

A smile widened onto his humming lips while waltzing into his quarters with her trailing behind. Had she not felt pained, Angelica mentally confessed her adoration towards Jack's charms. She was highly unaware how she had once relished in Jack's charms.

The charming Jack patted a thick, dark brown shaded towel laid out on his cot. "Sit."

"Um, Jack," began Angelica uncomfortably.

"Just, sit," Jack told her before she answered.

And Angelica did scoot herself onto the towel. Two hands pressed her shoulders downward, commanding her torso to fall onto the cot where her head deepened against a pillow. Those identical hands pulled her ankles until her legs laid flush to the mattress.

"No panicking or worrying. I won't take away any more of your so-called precious innocence or what's left of it," said Jack.

His forefinger and thumb gingerly pressed against the hem of her tunic. The hemline and all cloth above were raised slowly to her waist.

"Jack," Angelica said while raising her torso.

"Trust me," Jack snapped.

Sighing, Angelica fell into the soft mattress again. Her catlike eyes did not leave Jack's fingers as they moved the cloth to her tunic once more onto her waist. For her belly exposed to Jack, she found she was not uncomfortable. Perhaps, she thought, it was because he was Jack and he had seen it all already before. Slight discomfort came over her as those fingers belonging to Jack whatever-he-was-at-the-moment, lowered the hem of her dark skirt lower down her body.

"Don't worry," said Jack, not needed to raise his eyes to her concerned expression. "See, you're still covered."

That brown line ended when her hipbone ended. Everything below, thankfully was covered and for more than one reason.

"Now, really don't panic," Jack requested, halfway pleading. "This is going to sound horrible. I am a professional when it comes to this. Do not ask, but know you're not the only one I've done this to."

"That sounds comforting," Angelica told him sarcastically.

"Thank you," Jack replied with her sarcasm.

Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention to himself. Both sleeves were rolled to his elbows. A glass bottle was uncorked. Spearmint emerged from the bottle. Like an army of the undead killing mercilessly, the air was conquered with the scent. A cavalry of lavender followed the spearmint army.

Suddenly deeply relaxed, Angelica's eyes shut. Unconsciously, her body willed her to breathe deeply. Liquid was lathered between fingers beside her. Pressure seated by her belly. A swallow by Jack later, fingers massaged in circles on her person. In all respect for a woman, she should have been uncomfortable at the placement of Jack's fingers.

Massaging finger pads circled above that what bore children. They circled with precise pressure above the hemline of her skirt and between her hip bones and technical stomach. Of course pressure caused pain and further discomfort, yet all cramped muscles felt pain while warmth massaged the knots away.

Unfailing heat and steady pressure kept on her cramped muscles. Soothing, warm liquid slid from the smooth, hot stones onto her person.

"Jack," she whispered with eyes opening. "I've forgotten how charming you are."

A sly grin arched Jack's lips. "And I cannot believe you let me do that."

"You did once before," recalled Angelica.

"That was before," said Jack.

"I am curious though Jackie," Angelica said as she turned her head so that her eyes looked out from the center of her skull. "What gave it away?"

"You're Lucifer's work and you've been for a few days. Dark clothes barely hanging onto your body. Pressure on your sides. Pacing back and forth. Eating hoards of food. Uncomfortable groans and expressions of discomfort. Angelica, I did spend two years with Anamaria and I have been around women my entire life. I know when's it's that time of the month I don't understand. Honestly, why would a human who bleeds that much every month still be alive? I've never understood it."

"Thank you for that Jack," muttered Angelica.

"Well, it's true. I quite simply don't understand a woman's life particularly that well either," admitted Jack.

"Are you a woman?" inquired Angelica.

"Apparently I know why you walk like a girl so I must be part female," joked Jack with the utmost serious expression and tone.

Angelica giggled and then she found vibrations were uncomfortable to her cramped muscles. She breathed deeply again. "You have no idea how much this hurts."

"Oh no, I have an idea," said Jack nodding confidently. His fingers untied the lacing on the front of his tunic. "Example," he said while pulling the right of his tunic from across his chest.

The Spanish eyes turned to the two black injuries on Jack's chest for a mere moment. She knew very well those injuries were truth. Legend and rumor only spoke them to her, yet she knew they were truth. "Is the rumor true that one of them is still within you?"

A forefinger pointed to the lower injury. "Right here luv. Any pressure, be it lying on my stomach, a hand, rushed breathing from a pounding heart, awkward bending, I feel it."

"Since you are immortal, why not have your father remove it?" wondered Angelica.

"Actually," began Jack, pulling the lacing wholly from the tunic allowing the cut to expose the scar and for more comfortable feeling against himself. He sheepishly smiled at her. "He doesn't know I drank from the Fountain. He didn't know I was searching before now."

"How can he not know? The girl is dead. He should have had some idea you were after the Fountain," noted Angelica.

"Not particularly; he knows what I knew at the time. Anamaria and I were bit and she didn't make it to the Fountain," said Jack. He settled himself in an armchair beside the cot. "You know us Aingeal. We've never had a strong relationship. Come to tell the truth, and I really need to stop with the truth, we didn't have a true relationship until after Ana died and I came back with Lily. I didn't know how to raise a four year old girl alone so he helped me."

"Then you've been raising your daughter for the past three years?" assumed Angelica.

"Mostly. There have been the occasional acts of piracy committed. Unfortunately, those said acts of piracy sailed me away more than I'll admit. Come to think of it, I don't recall half my acts of piracy. That's the problem these days. People like to open their big mouths and tall tale the tales," said Jack. "What about you Angelica? What did you do after you left me?"

"I went in search of my father," replied Angelica.

"How long did that take?" wondered Jack.

"Ten months ago," Angelica softly replied with shame in her voice.

"Nineteen years after we split you found your father. Oh, what took you so long?" wondered Jack.

"Jack, you try searching for your father with but a name, and I didn't begin looking until about three years after we ended," said Angelica.

"Angelica, you try searching for anything without a compass that points to it," replied Jack.

"It's what you did before you were given the compass," reminded Angelica.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, shut it," admitted Jack.

"And what about you Jack? What did you do after we went our ways?" inquired Angelica.

"Surely, since you stole me so very well I'll admit only once, you know the stories of my so called exploits," replied Jack.

"The question then becomes which are truth, and which are tales?"

"Tales that are hardly believable are not done by myself. Tales that are believed by the mind are accomplished."

"Name a few that are real then."

"Why do you have such a desire to know these things right now? Honestly."

"Because I don't know who you are anymore."

"And I know you Angelica?"

"That's it!" Angelica cried. She slammed her arms on the cot to raise her torso uncomfortably. "We need to talk!"

"Yes we do!" Jack snapped, shoving her back on the cot.

"I have had it with you. I want answers," declared Angelica as she pushed herself upward again.

Refusing to be at the lower end of the dominant situation, Jack hopped on the bed. He swung a knee on either side of Angelica's chest, minding her lower abdomen. Giving her no room for movement, he forced her arms onto the cot beside her own body and lowered his claves flat beside her. "Now, seeing as you're just laying here, what do you want answers about?"

"Get off of me!" demanded Angelica.

"No," Jack told her.

"You're hurting me more," Angelica said.

"I am, in fact, nowhere near your bleeding girly bits so I am therefore not hurting you. I'm not letting you get out of this one this time Angelica. You want to talk so talk," said Jack.

Angelica huffed a sigh. "Fine, why did you use me?"

"Why do you think I used you? I did not use you," said Jack, insulted. "Stop saying I used you."

"You're using me right now," noted Angelica.

"Yes, just this one I am using your own body against you. We need to talk and I'm willing to talk unlike you who is unwilling to talk," said Jack.

"Why did you leave me?"

"If I recall you recalled you left me."

"You left me standing at the altar. You were sitting in Spain drinking wine when I returned. Why did you not want to marry me?"

"Because you were using me."

"How can you say that Jack?"

"Don't be a using my own words against me. You know exactly how you were using me. You were using me to find your dear old father."

"I was not."

"Yes, you were. You knew he was named Edward Drummond and he was once a marine like myself. You wanted to fall in love with me, which we did, and then marry me, which we nearly did, and then leave me when you found your father."

"Not all true. I was hoping I would find my father while sailing with you."

"It wasn't just that either."

"Then what was it Jack? Hm, why did you not marry me? How did I supposedly break your heart more than you broke mine?"

"I couldn't trust you Angelica. I didn't know if you loved me. Every day I did everything for you. I ruined your life I admit it. I tried to repay your ruined life by giving you a life to live. I taught you all I knew at the time. I bought items for you. I taught you to dance and sing and laugh again. You did nothing for me in return. Everything I ever did for you was never repaid. Day in and day out, you accepted me gifts and I was given nothing. If we got close you told me no because we were not courting or married. I'd kiss you and you would pray away the sin for the next hour. I would hold you and you'd be sitting in my lap begging for forgiveness from your so called Lord. We grew up together and I fell in love with you. You never fell in love with me. You fell in love with me as an idea. I was an idea in your head. Piracy and sailing were ideas. You never loved the man behind the idea like I loved the woman. Too many a time did I doubt our small pecks of love. Even that day we were stripped bare naked on the beach at sunset letting each other do what we wanted I felt the discomfort you had directed towards me. You never loved me back. Because you never loved me back, I felt more used than you could ever imagine. You say I used you. What did I use you for Angelica? I didn't use you for anything. If you feel I used you for love or companionship that was no using because it was there.

"I was lost. Whenever I needed somewhere to go in the world I always went back to Andalucía where I knew you were. Why do you think Billy and I were around Spain as much as we were? I needed you in me life. You were the one thing that felt right to me. I was blinded by the love I had for you to see that you truly didn't love me. The idea, again, you loved. You used me to get a life of your own.

"The whole wedding planning, I saw the doubt in your eyes and the annoyance of the planning. You didn't want to be married to me because you didn't want to have be technically claimed by a man. Every little detail we planned, I planned rather because you didn't care, you rolled your eyes. I know it was something more than being nineteen. Aye, you were but a mere nineteen year old and I can understand that a nineteen year old would be a tiny bit uncomfortable about being married, but it was not discomfort. It. Was. Doubt. And. Annoyance. And every time I asked you what was wrong you always told me it was nerves. I was foolish enough to believe your nerves were getting the best of you. Oh no, you just didn't want to marry me.

"It took me until the day before the wedding to realize you didn't want me in your life at all. You avoided me the entire day. Every single moment someone mentioned the word 'wedding' or 'marriage' you rolled your eyes, snickered, or walked away. I should have seen the signs, but I didn't because I was in love with the idea of finally being married to you. I was ready to settle down and have a family. My life had been hell; it was ruined because of doing what was right in freeing the slaves. You made me realize I had life beyond pirating and just living. There was a life with you. Us being married and raising a family and maybe settling on a coastal town with my own ship and a decent job. I liked, no, loved the thought of being a normal person for once and not someone who sailed the seas with nothing but doing whatever came to mind at the time.

"Sitting there and waiting for you when we should have been getting married was the answer I needed. Your arrival back was my answer. Do you know how it nearly killed me sitting there waiting and watching the minutes pass? I thought my heart was going to die. There were times I felt like my stomach was going to explode. When you did finally arrive I knew right there you didn't want to marry me for me. You threw the ring at me and walked out and I never saw you again. If you wanted to marry me and be with me for the rest of your life then you would have tried reasoning with me to change my mind and marry you.

"After that day, I chose the rest of my life. It wasn't worth putting faith in someone else to provide a life. So, I headed out to get my ship back. I made the deal with Davy Jones and figured thirteen years of living with my ship the way I wanted was better than wandering the earth moping that the woman I loved didn't love me back. I did change Angelica; you changed me more than Lily did. I paid women for their company, I'll admit it. I did go to those whorehouses to find women for the night. Some were paid for company and others for what they are paid to do. I'm known for having women on my arm because I am the man who treats a woman as she should be. I never allowed myself to love a woman again because of you.

"Anamaria was a fling like I told you. Aye, I may have saved her years and years ago and we did have stirrings for each other, but they never got as far as you and I. My father abandoned me and I was exiled from my own family and then you used me and left me. I lost faith in everything that day but myself and world. I figured the world would give me a life and it did. I became a notorious pirate. Captain Jack Sparrow is a household name. The woman fawn over me and the men envy me for who it is that I am. So, I have to thank you. If not for you, I never would have become the heartless, notorious pirate, and greatest sailor on the seas."

No words came from Jack anymore. He shook his head to himself. Finally, he released Angelica from his grasp and stood beside her once more.

"You know what Angelica," he began. "When we get the _Revenge_ back, you should stay there and captain her. Give me back my doll and I'll carry out this journey without you. I can see you're using me to get your ship and it is rightfully yours. Barbossa can have _Tristan_. I'll commandeer a ship out of Charleston. We'll go our separate ways once and for all. You don't have to be here with me if you don't want to and I don't want to force you here anymore than you want to be. I only want you here because I love you. There, I said it. You happy finally? I love you. Te amo. I said it. I always have and I always will, but you know that. And since you truly don't love me then leave. Don't use me as an excuse to pretend you want to save my life when you truly want your ship. I'm tired of being used by people to get what is wanted. I'll raise Lily myself. The two of us will be a small family, but we have Torin and we'll be happy. So, aye, I'll let you be."

Merely shutting her eyes and moistening her lips, Angelica lay on the cot. Her palms pressed against her face. Sudden warmth and sting of tears came to her eyes. Why was Jack the sole person in the world who caused her to feel lost from life and to visualize her wrongdoings in the past? She never before saw it was her who did the seducing and using. Jack was the one who corrupted her into the ways of piracy.

Not allowing Jack to have a chance for a moment's escape, she heavily sat herself upward and swung her legs from the cot. A moment of cursing herself for being a female later, she wandered into the main cabin.

Jack was on his belly while his cheek pressed against the floorboards so an eye could peek out beneath the crack. His fingertips were disappeared under the crack between floorboard and door. Both feet pressed him further against the door.

Curiously, Torin sat beside his "daddy" watching him grunt and struggle to reach for a certain key he threw from his grasp not too long ago.

"Since you're just lying on the floor for your own idiocy, I did not use you to get my father," stated Angelica.

Groaning, Jack's attempts to reach for the key failed as he went limp on the floor. Refusing to listen to her, his mind of the past did the speaking. When previously he found himself in a binding situation, a little whale oil did wonders and it just so happened there were several vessels of whale oil swinging from the rafters. One was very close to his person all he did was stand on his toes, lift it from the hook, and twist the glass cover from the base. Just as before, the oil slickened his hand and the wood for good measure.

"Torin, no! Icky!" Jack snapped as the puppy began sniffing. He himself slid back onto his belly. "Come on! Why is everything is always just fingertips outside me reach? Come on! Please, please, please. Errrr. Bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger, bugger! Oh, CUTTLEFISH!"

Two feet approached the key and stood toe to key.

"Yes, you! Gimme the key. Do not leave me in here with _her_," called Jack.

A person knelt low to the boards. Finger grasped the key and the key disappeared from sight.

"No, no, no!" Jack yelped and scrambled to his feet so he stood with visibility to the outside world.

When the curtains were flung aside, Phillip stood on the opposite side of the doors shaking his head with a smirk on his face. He arched an eyebrow as a finger pointed to the key.

"Yes!" Jack called.

The former missionary pointed to the key then to Jack. He raised both eyebrows. Amusement reddened his face with laughter.

"Give me the key!" Jack whined.

Amused laughter fell from Phillip's tongue. He slowly backed further from the glassy window so that Jack saw his body wholly. The key was presented forward towards Jack and the he clearly pulled the opening from his pocket away from his person. That little golden key to Jack's freedom was dropped into the pocket opening. Innocently, the young man shrugged his shoulders and raised his palm.

"Phillip, you give me that key right now! I know people. You don't want to be making enemies with me mate and you've made an enemy of yourself. I have people who can do horrible things to you. Torture beyond your wildest dreams. Curses to never cease. You'll be thinking to yourself one day 'oh, if only I had listened to Jack when I had the chance'," called Jack.

Hardly believing his words, Phillip turned his head while his body followed.

"No, no, no!" Jack called. "Phillip, get back here right now young man! After all I've done for you this is how your repay me? You're sailing under me and that's an honor. Don't you just do this to me. Phillip!"

For further emphasis and humiliation towards the so-called Captain Jack Sparrow, Phillip suddenly had an idea. Rather than the key in his pocket, he turned on his feet and walked straight back to Jack. The key was once again presented towards the window and then, since a nice loop molded the handle, set on a hook beside a lantern just a mere pace outside the doors.

"YOU, YOU, YOU!" Jack called. Both hands grabbed the door handles and he began shaking the doors.

Desperately attempting to escape, Jack backed up a bit. He rammed himself into the glass doors. His weight slamming against the doors was not welcome to the glass, as it rattled cries of annoyance.

Typical Jack, only Phillip and Syrena observed his struggle with fascinating amusement, Syrena most especially. Gibbs and those who served Teague peeked at the unusual ruckus. The response was either a head shake or a lovely roll of the eye. He was Edward Teague's son and currently living up to the name Teague with his temper.

"Anyway!" Angelica called. "You had your turn to talk; now it's mine."

Two hands wrapped around Jack's biceps, shoving him backward. Rather than falling on the floor, Jack fell into a chair. Clearly having previous thought, Angelica was quick to move. How she managed to locate every piece needed would remain a mystery to Jack Teague himself for quite some time. She was supposed to think like Jack, yet, currently, her thought process was think like Elizabeth.

_Rattle. Click. Rattle. Click._

Jack yelped while his face contorted into an expression of horror. Both wrists were shackled tightly to the arms of the chair. All excess chain was wrapped around his forearms. No movement. And when he thought not moving his wrists was constriction, several chain links uncoiling from around each other was most uncomfortable indeed.

Though knowing Jack hated any object that could be identified or related to chain, she knew no other option to have him listen to her. Normal size links of chain were wound around Jack's torso, binding his chest and forearms to the back of the chair. A decent sized padlock secured the two ends to the back of the chair.

"Sorry Jack, but you're like me. You don't listen unless someone shuts you up," Angelica's voice spoke as she stood in front of him.

With an innocent shrug, she walked behind him and out of sight. Currently, she felt no mercy for Jack. It was her turn to give him a little hell. Providing no temptation to speak useless words of his own past when it was no longer his words that need be spoken, she silently whispered prayers to every being higher above a mere human for Jack to forgive her. She at least found a soft, cotton rag to wrap around Jack's head and between his teeth.

Chair and all, Jack was dragged backwards into the room with a yelp from him and a heavy sigh from Angelica. His sole available movement in his legs, he kicked back and forth. It didn't do much to his situation, but at least he could move.

"Jack," Angelica sighed. "Be that way then."

After a quick shackling of his ankles now as well, Angelica gingerly set her aching body on the sofa. She did take into consideration her trifling condition and quickly grabbed her towel and hot stones. All the while Jack was whining at Phillip to get the key, she planned her attack and all the comforts she may need while giving Jack her side of the story. He was partly true with his words that she used him, yet there was much confusion and misunderstanding. Obviously, misunderstanding was corrected with the use of speaking words. While Jack was quite remarkable with his words, he rarely knew when the time for his words was not appropriate. Currently, his words were not appropriate and he did need to hear her story.

Unfortunately, Angelica fought with herself as she massaged the oil on to her skin. Jack possessed fears as all humans and creatures alike. His fear happened to be chains. She knew the story. Teague told her once and once was all that was needed to understand why he was uncomfortable with chain and shackle. It seemed because of Jack's darker skin and family culture, he was taken into consideration as a slave child at ten years old in the very city they were travelling.

Thirty three years ago, in Charleston, Carolina, a day on the beach with himself resulted in an abduction and a whole twenty four hour day of experiencing a slave market. Ten year old Jack was taken by slave traders, sent through examination, held overnight in cells and chains, and placed up for auction the next day. He watched as families were torn and children separated from home. With every person sold, he moved closer and closer to the pedestal that decided his fate. No one knew he was taken and no one knew where to look. With the matter of a tick tock of the clock's hand, his life would be under the hand of another.

At his own personal auction, he was bought. He was bought by the very person he thought never cared for him. It happened that one William Turner, a young captain in the Royal Navy and caretaker of the even younger Captain Jack, bid for said ten year old and earned rights to him. Unknown to Jack to that day as he look out into nothing, his own blood father provided the gold for William. Yes, Edward Teague, a man merely visiting a friend in Carolina, bought his own son from slavery and two souls, save himself, knew. William never mentioned it again, and Angelica was told all she would need to know of Jack when she agreed to marry him.

She was very well aware the ghastly shade of Jack's features mimicked his thoughts for his situation. He did not struggle to her amazement, as she was expecting a fight. She recalled when he felt the chains snaking around his person he went rigid in a state of petrification. The idea was Elizabeth's to chain him to the chair, which may not have been her wisest piece of advice to follow. His encounter with chains was that which led him down to the Locker, the incident that truly caused his alteration.

His mahogany chocolate orbs gazed out before him into the nothingness that she saw and the dark horrors he recalled. Said dark horrors shifted in his eyes swirling the brown to black. His eyebrows were high against the wrinkled forehead. Veins remained contained in his person by the barrier of skin. Heavy breathing mirrored the quickly moving blood through tubes of the human anatomy. Though she couldn't be quite positively confident with her thought, her ears may have sensed a slight rattle of chain vibrating through a trembling body.

A loveable mutt found his little paws moving forward. Uncomfortable with the auras of the two people in the room and the quickly darkening sky, he curled himself between a few blankets Jack previously laid out for him. His legs tucked tightly in himself and tail wound around him. His appearance was that of a ball of fur and eyes shutting with wishful thoughts of sleep.

Angelica turned her head to peek at Jack once more after watching the pup curl in his comfortable corner.

Jack's eyes moved to hers and he swallowed hard. It was just like him to put up his strong façade while screaming for help inside.

"If I take away the chain you will not listen to me Jack. I know you," said Angelica.

"Mm hm," Jack muttered quickly.

"You still need to explain much to me. What you did explained nothing," Angelica told him exasperated. "You merely released anger and frustration, which is not talking. And what I'm doing to you is torturing you for my own satisfaction. There is much you do not know about yourself Jack. Podíamos hablar?"

"Mm hm," Jack nodded.

Back on her feet again, Angelica silently cursed herself for moving as much as she was. Up and down, in and out. Pressures on her stomach were causing more pain than worth, yet this pain was worth all agony. Swiftly, her hands moved the keys to the locks and the chains from the man.

Since the oil remained slick in his pores, Jack did not wait for Angelica to unlock his right hand. He slipped his wrist through the iron shackle, ironically all that remained of the chain on his person just as before. Memories of the past haunting his eyes, his feet unconsciously took him to the window. He scanned the horizon from behind the glass and then utilized the latch in removing the window from the frame. His head extended out as he glanced at the waters. Nothing on the horizon. No slave ships. Nothing below the waters. No Kraken.

All that began was rain and a light rumble in the distance. He inhaled the earthly scent of rain in the air, not at all soothing his weary, memory filled mind. Keeping himself from Angelica, he joined his dog on the blankets and pillows. Warmth and innocence wrapped in a ball of fur was taken into his lap, though Torin didn't mind.

"Lo siento," whispered Angelica.

"Te odio," stammered Jack.

"I know, and I hate you for different reasons," admitted Angelica.

"What do you want to know?" wondered Jack dully.

"You fear chain more than you have before. I know where chain led you. What happened in the Locker?" asked Angelica.

The haunted Sparrow shut his eyes with a heavy swallow. _Tristan_ rolled with the storm waves. Thunder rumbled from above. Lighting lit the sky. They had to talk. There was no avoiding it. A perfect thunderstorm merely added emphasis of the hellish tales that were to be told.

Miss Drummond listened to the lost Sparrow's tale; he was immortal before the unearthing of Aqua de Vida.

Lost Sparrow listened to Miss Drummond's tale; she was corrupted by the world's doing.

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><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**reviews make the days better and my days are dragging. thanks!**

**te amo= i love you. podíamos hablar?= can we speak? te odio= i hate you. lo siento= i'm sorry. just thought i'd let you know.**

**so really not much to say here. yeah, i did leave quite a few unanswered questions out there for a reason. it all leads up for their true talk that is to follow. it will most likely be longish, depending on a few things. they need to once and for all talk and listen.**

**you ever notice when serious issues are at hand the weather seems to add effect? does for me i'll tell you that.**

**questions? comments? amusing when Phillip takes the key forcing them to talk huh? likes? dislikes? anything at all? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!**


	13. Corruption

**A Quick Note from TurtleHeart: **

**first of all SORRY AND A THOUSAND APOLOGIES for making you wait this long to read it. those returning thanks for sticking with me and those new ENJOY!**

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><p><strong>XXX Corruption XXX<strong>

Outside, upon the threshold of the Caribbean storm, sailors took to their posts with caution and weariness. Storms were never to be taken for granted upon the seas. Best foot forward, eyes to the horizon, ears on the sky. Philip himself stood at the helm with eyes to the sky. Not even a simple storm was what it once was to him. Syrena too found her mind swayed of new thoughts of corruption. With opening eyes came corruption.

Jack and Angelica, of course, were no strangers to corruption.

He lifted himself to sit in his window sofa. With one bare foot and calf hanging down, he tucked te other under. Torin curled his tongue across the top of Jack's foot until the human gently swatted the little brown nose. A gentle glare passed across Jack's face as he leaned his head into the window. The gentle glare formed into a heavy sigh what began his tale.

"There's truly nothing in the Locker that make a normal man into a madman. In fact luv, there is nothing in the Locker and that be the reason the sane man becomes the madman. Just for me own personal satisfaction, how much do you know about the Locker?"

Angelica shrugged a shoulder. "Probably about as much as everyone else. It is the property of Davy Jones, hence Davy Jones' Locker, and it is commonly believed to be the place all sailors' souls reside upon death."

"Very good," replied Jack with a smile. "And now, allow me to fill in the less known pieces to the well-known tale. The Locker be divided into two different entities: one being the sea where souls float until the good captain delivers them to the Fiddler's Green and the other of land and punishment. It just so happens this poor unfortunate soul ended up in the land of punishment."

"By your own doing Jack," reminded Angelica. "As I recall it was you who made the agreement with Jones in the first place, or so I heard."

"Yes, yes, yes, but that be beside the point luv," snapped Jack. "There is one point and the point is this: there is nothing in the Locker and that is the reason he becomes mad." His eyes turned to the storming seas, feeling each rage and roar of Calypso. "You are starving, but have no food to eat. You are dying of thirst, but have no water to satisfy. You are tired, and yet sleep never comes. You need and crave all these comforts of life, yet you feel as though you are tearing yourself away from life. Half of you craves the living amenities and the other is trying to tear you away from them. Understanding the less known parts thus far?"

"Understanding," said Angelica. She flipped her feet over the arm rest of the sofa, resting her ankles on the cushioned wood. Her head tilted back allowing a mouthful of the famous Teague rum to sting her throat.

Jack thought about pressing the matter that that particular bottle was his last then decided against it, for he was quite through with arguing with Angelica, yet couldn't help but mention "I thought you couldn't drink alcohol. It goes against your religion."

"You were saying that you were a 'poor unfortunate soul who ended up in the land of punishment'," reminded Angelica.

Slightly hissing at her, Jack's eyes narrowed and his lip curled.

Torin lifted his big brown eyes to Jack, giving several loud woofs. He seemed to be awoken from his small nap by Jack's hissing believing it to be another animal. His furry head shot about the room and his woofs became small, under his breath reminders to the hisser.

"You probably should tell her about us now Jack."

"Aye, me thinks the lovely wench should also be a knowing about the rest of us."

Jacks eye shut with a sigh. His body slumped into the window and forehead beat against the glass at the arrival of his companions. "I know, I know." His head rolled to accommodate his vision upon his knees at one miniature of him meditating on his right knee, Jackie, and the other wiping his hands clean on the left, John. "Where do I officially begin?"

"Tell her of the others," suggestion John.

"Oum, oum. Agreed," said Jackie.

"All right," Jack said sharply. He smiled at Angelica. "Although it was just me, myself, and I along with John and Jackie, I had an entire crew, full of men prepared to set sail at any given moment. All we needed was the wind and water. There was Jakob, a clever English lad, Jacobo, Jacopo, Jacoba, Jacobson, Jacobi, Jacobine, Jayme, Jacques always knew how to brew the best cappuccino you will ever have in your life, Jacinto, Jake, Jackob, Jakub, Jackson, Jeb, Cob, Cobb, Giacobo, Giacomo made lovely gelatos, Iago, Iacovo, Yago, Yaacov, Jokubus, Jacob, Johnny was a bit on the theatrical side, but always put on the most entertaining performances, Johnnie, Jock, Jocko, Johann, Johan, Jovan, Juan, Johannes, Johnson, Johnavon, Jansen, Janson, Jones, Jackson, Ivan thought he was a tree with his arms, Ian, Iaian, Eoin, Sean, Shawn, Shane, Seain, Zane, Jaenda, Janco, Jantje, Jian was always a quiet one with his mind on Buddy or Buhddie his name was, Joen, Johne, Jontavius, Johahn, Johanan, Johane, Johannan, Jenkyns' body was artwork, Jennings, Jens, Jense, Jentz, Juhana, Juha, , Juhanna, Juhannah, Juho, Kcaj Worroaps was a slower one, and they all had the name Sparrow attached at the end. I never did hear from any of them again once I was out of the Locker, though Kcaj Worroaps did lose his brain in the cell of the _Dutchman_ that one time."

Angelica curiously was looking upon him, and yet, a fearful concern appeared in her eyes. The situation of Davy Jones' Locker was a puzzling one. It appeared to her because there was nothing in the Locker, he who was trapped created everything. Stories that the Locker was the worst punishment a man could be given, stretching on forever were beginning to have sense among the nonsense. Dying from all that was cut away from human existence to a human body, yet never dying while losing one's mind drove the madness into Jack Teague, destroying Jack Sparrow. Captain Jack Sparrow never left Davy Jones' Locker; he was doomed to remain trapped in nothing and everything until the soul belonging to the body was in life no more.

Looking upon him, she realized Jack did change because of the Locker. His games and talking his way out of things was given away to finally becoming a good, honest man. The game of Captain Jack Sparrow was over. Perhaps he did find his place in the new world, a world that was becoming modern, less welcome to the free sailors of the old world.

"Is that it?" she finally asked.

"Is wot it?" wondered Jack.

"Is that all that happened in the Locker?" she added.

"Yup, pretty much. Everything and nothing happens in Davy Jones' Locker," replied Jack. "Afraid that there is not much to be saying about me life anymore. Everyone knows about my life. Now you Miss Drummond, what is it to your life that you have kept quiet for nineteen years and why did it take that long for you to figure out just who your famous father was?"

As if he knew that moment was opportune, Philip rapped his knuckles on the glass window, startling both.

In a huff and with a glare, Jack approached the windows. He pointed to the locked handle.

Philip, of course, was already unlocking the door. Slowly and cautiously he cracked the door. "Are you two talking finally or do I have to shut the door again?"

"Yes, yes, yes, we be talking mate," replied Jack quickly.

"Angelica?" wondered Philip, peeking through the glass at her.

She nodded. "Sí."

"All right," said Philip. "Pardon the dripping, but it's blowing a bit out there. I've some ham sandwiches and some sort of potato soup. My guess is that it is something Irish."

"Oh, welcome in," said Jack with a cheery grin.

Even Angelica found her belly saying words of hunger, though she wasn't quite sure if her cramps were returning or if it was truly hunger. To her surprise, Jack handed her the food. His quiet, sea bred legs didn't spill either bowls of soup with the sandwiches balancing around the rim.

"You like this. It's me father's potato soup and yes, Philip, it is something Irish," said Jack.

"Can I leave the door unlocked now or do I have to keep you two children locked up on time out?" asked Philip. Both glared at him lightly.

Torin popped out from under his sacks. His nose sniffed the air around him until he found the source of the delicious smells. As with all dogs, his eyes suddenly magnified and stared at the soup.

"If you didn't bring anything for him, I'm going to have to lock you in a cell until we get to Charleston," warned Jack.

"Yes Jack, I did bring a small bite for him. Actually, it's a bowl," replied Philip.

Out of what appeared to Jack and Angelica as thin air, two bowls were placed by the sacks, one with food and the other with water.

"Do you have some sort of talent I don't know about because I didn't see you bring food for him," noted Jack.

"Yes, this magic you speak of is called Syrena," replied Philip, "and I'll take my leave to let you two continue. I have faith I will not regret placing this key on the table."

"No need to have fear. I believe the female is through with being a child at the moment," said Jack.

"You're one to talk," retorted Angelica, reaching for the less full of the two bowls of soup.

"And that means wot?" wondered Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"You know exactly what that means," snapped Angelica.

Jack, seeing as Angelica was no longer lounging on her sofa, took residency upon the cushion. His ankles crossed on the arm rest, while pillows were piled on the other arm rest. He leaned his back into these pillows and whistled for his pup. Torin was placed in his lap and Jack took to his food. He gave himself a bite of food.

"Come come, out with it. You know my story already luv. Let us have yours," he said while chewing his food.

Sighing heavily at the loss of her comfortable sofa, Angelica took herself and her food to the master chair, another decently comfortable location in the main cabin. Adding extra comfort, she pulled forward another chair so that her calves and feet rested upon the seat and her body lean back against the cushions.

Her eyes turned to Jack after hearing him choke slightly. His face was over his bowl with the soup's juice dripping from his chin and the sandwich still in his mouth. Torin's head was cocked to the side interestingly as he watched his "father".

"Wot?" he asked his dog with a sandwiched mouthful.

Torin slightly pounced forward to put his front paws on Jack's chest so that he could lick the soup juice from Jack's face.

Angelica found a small, girlish grin slip upon her lips. He was always most charming when he was not trying, even more so than when he wanted something. Tempted by his mess, Angelica dipped part of her ham sandwich into the potato soup. She allowed most of the excess drip to fall back into the bowl then bit the slightly soggy bread into her mouth.

Memories of her teen years filled her head for a moment, her eyes seeing the past lay out onto the storm before her.

_Eighteen year old Angelica lay on the deck of the _Wicked Wench._ Around her, the crew bustled as normal, pretending not to peer down her loosely buttoned tunic as they walked by. She nestled her head into her shoulder, setting in for a possible afternoon nap. Usually women aboard ships were back luck, but not to Jack Sparrow. "A lucky woman is a woman who falls in with the captain," he once told her._

_An unruly amount of warm liquid dripped onto her face. She swatted her hand and sputtered._

_The very familiar laugh of Jack Sparrow erupted above her. "She doesn't like her Irish soup?"_

"_Not when it's dripping down my cleavage Captain Sparrow," replied Angelica, taking his loose sash ends to wipe the mess from her._

_Seeking that moment as opportune, Jack stumbled forward like she had pulled his sash with too much force so he fell into her. Their lips nearly touching, he smiled innocently before planting his lips on hers._

_Laughing with his kiss, she kicked her feet up in the air. She especially laughed harder when he deepened the kiss._

_Jack pulled away for a moment, only to shovel his potato soup into his mouth. He raised his forefinger motioning for her to wait a minute. Apparently his stomach was more important than her._

_Not taking to that very well, Angelica waited for the spoon to reach his mouth. She stealthily took the bowl into her hand. Waiting for the opportune moment, she moistened her lips. Her time came when Jack smiled at her. All contents of the soup were thrust upward into his face._

"_Does the captain not like his soup?" wondered Angelica laughingly to his sputtering and yelping._

_Before she could get away, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist. He spun her around in the air on deck, pretending to scold her and debate over her punishment._

Snapping out of it for feeling uncomfortable eyes, she turned her head to Jack and when she did he turned away nonchalantly to his dog.

"After you left me and I was kicked out, I made my way around Spain," she began slowly. "I knew nothing more of my father than the information of his name: Edward Drummond. Mi Mamá fell in with him when he was still a sailor for the English Navy, hence me. She kept me a secret for my childhood and when I reached the Convent the mistress watching over me knew nothing more than that the woman who looked after me was dead. Mi Mamá never told anyone I was her daughter."

"Something to do with why you still have not gone to bed I assume," sighed Jack, finishing up his soup.

"Yes, Jack, some of us do wait until we are married," replied Angelica.

"Honestly luv, tell me honestly," Jack suddenly piped up. He sat on the edge of the sofa, pressing his palms together against his chest. "You are thirty six and you are still as pure as you were at birth?"

"Yes," replied Angelica with a shrug of his shoulder. "Though, after I met you I lost majority of that purity."

"Ah yes," recalled Jack, sitting back, "I did everything but the ultimate act of taking away a female's pure innocence. I almost got it from you, but as you recalled you left me."

"La Martinique, Jack. I tried to kill you for that. Remember?" said Angelica, her lip curling slightly and eyes narrowing.

"It was just me fingers," Jack shrugged innocently.

Angelica sighed heavily, not wanting to get into this for fear of other ears listening in; she continued her story of corruption. "Like I said Sparrow, I wandered Spain for a time and then I remembered something you taught me, a little trick that worked before. I took a ship with my assets."

"See, I told you that worked," said Jack.

Angelica glared. "And then I mutinied that night. My first command was a fishing boat, what's name I cannot remember these days. Drummond was English and so I made my way to England less than easily. You may have taught me to sail, but you forgot to teach me the ropes of captaining a ship. It didn't take me long to realize I would have to disguise myself as a man to get by in the world. And so I cut most of my hair, wrapped my chest to hide my assets, and succumbed to dirtying my face and not bathing."

She shut her eyes and moved uncomfortably, her hand squeezing her lower abdomen again. Praying pieces of the cramping muscles would leave, she stood and wandered about the room, finding herself looking out at the storm and sea.

"For nineteen years I played someone else, only showing my femininity now and then, meaning when I had to and only then. Edward Drummond was no longer a man of the sea and no one had heard of him or they refused to tell me what he had become. The world is dark and cruel. No man cares for anyone but himself. And over the years of playing cabin boy from ship to ship, I saw the men writing letters to their families, their own fathers. When I was asked what my father taught me and how I ended up on a ship as a cabin boy I said nothing. They made their own assumption, most of them assuming I was abandoned and given up like worthless trash.

"So you see Jack, you started my corruption, but the world finished it. It was you who taught me to get by in the world, but not survive it. I learned how to take care of myself in a quick hurry, as one would have to do being alone. The world taught me to kill when needed, lie at will, fight like a man, and live like there was no tomorrow. I lost every innocence that was born within me. Yes, Jack, the only innocence I keep is the innocence against man. There is a reason I have not gone to bed with another. Thanks to you, the only thing I have left to give away is my virginity. You stole my life and my father, and I'm not letting you take away the only innocence I have. I'd rather starve than allow you to take me to your bed."

"And if our temporary engagement becomes permanent marri-age?" wondered Jack, eyes turning to her.

"Then, as custom to marriage, I belong to you," replied Angelica simply.

"Fair enough," said Jack. He gulped down a sip of red wine from a bottle. "So, how did you come across your dear old Father?"

"He stumbled upon me actually," replied Angelica, with a groan as she doubled over for a moment.

Sighing lightly, Jack surrendered the sofa. He gently curled his fingers above her elbow. "Come here."

As before, Jack was massaging her lower abdomen with the warm oils. His fingers meticulously moved across her warm, oily skin. The warm stones were once again left upon her stomach to loosen the muscle. "You and I aren't that much different Aingeal. You want to keep all that innocent left inside you after I corrupted you into the world, and I wanted to get rid of all innocence left in me because it made me vulnerable. It may not appear as such, but it is why you and I are the only ones who work for each other. We are opposites darling, in every way two people can be. You want it and I want it to leave me. It was you who corrupted me while I corrupted you. Bloody fair and square we're squared, even, _done_."

"You stole my life Jack," Angelica said very clearly.

"No more than you stole me own," replied Jack. "We're even."

With that, Jack took his dog and let her alone. He did not care to hear the story of how she found her father. Knowing Mr. Beard and his voodoo nonsense, he saw her coming not as his daughter, but as a pawn to get what he wanted accomplished. When would she see he did her a favor giving Mr. Beard's years for her? Had he not, the pure evil pirate would have killed her to get ahead in life.

Like him, he supposed she lost all faith in everything and everyone but herself and her own means, although she was the one who kept to religion, another something no one could take from her. What was it about having a father that she needed? Jack and his father didn't have a sound relationship until after he came back from the Locker. Thirty years it took his father to appreciate him and want him. Funny how things like that happened. He nearly died and never came back and then all of a sudden his father wants to be with him.

Then again, Angelica was a bit different from his situation. She had no family, no father, nothing. He at least had a family in Ireland, despite being exiled from them, and a father, despite being abandoned by his father every time they were together. He at least knew they existed and had them should he have needed. And when he was injured or fevered when he somehow found his way to his father, if he could, Edward did take care of him and nurse him back to health and then shove him off on a ship when he began to turn around.

Little things like that kept Jack and his father together. Their relationship was never a steady one, but when times came down to it, Edward took care of his son and Jack minded his father. Of course, being Pirate Lord, he was required to surrender his pride to see his father every five years to hand him the official report of his sea of Lordship. Usually, he'd stay for a week or two. Both kept to themselves, but usually in the same room. They pretended the other did not exist and yet they were in the same room.

When Jack thought on it, he'd rather be himself pretending he didn't have a family knowing he did rather than pretending to have a family knowing he didn't.

"Well," Philip inquired, approaching Jack with an apple in hand. "How did it go?"

"She's a woman," replied Jack.

"Enough said there," agreed Philip.

"So, how are you and Syrena these days? Dryer at least?" wondered Jack.

"Yes Jack, we are dryer than past days," replied Philip. He motioned toward the helm stairs where the former mermaid was curled below the wooden steps out of the elements in a few sacks and blankets with a book in one hand and the other twisting in her hair. "She's just mastered the English alphabet and I'm teaching her to read children's books."

"Progress," noted Jack.

"She's eager to learn all required to be human," said Philip. "I often wonder if she was created as mermaid or if someone decided she was to be mermaid and made her so."

"Reminds me of someone I once knew. I often wonder if Jean ever got Constance human again. Of course, if she was as nasty of a human as she was a cat then I don't think I would want to meet her. Then again, now that Tia Dalma is Calypso again, she should have returned human. Hmm. Oh well," said Jack, a little to himself rather than Philip.

"Humans becoming cats huh?" Philip asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That was when I was a teen in the world eons ago," said Jack. "Never did find out what happened to her."

"Okay then," said Philip as he took himself and his apple away from Jack and joined Syrena.

Jack shrugged then wandered up the stairs to the helm. His eyes gazed across the still darkened sky. The rain was at bay, simply causing the air to feel thick and moist. Low rumbles echoed in the cloudy air and clouds lit with light now and then. Majority of the storm was behind them. Calm seas and a starry night sky hopefully lay ahead, although he had thought that before and got what he did not want at all.

"How was your talk?" wondered Gibbs, checking their heading since the storm was over.

"She's female Joshamee and you know how they are," replied Jack, having the same mind set at Gibbs. "Nothing and everything was accomplished. I corrupted her and she corrupted me. We're squared."

"And she's still going on and on about it. Correct?" assumed Gibbs.

Jack's head tilted to the side as he jutted his jaw forward. His eyebrows raised. "Mm hm."

"You said it yourself, she's been through a lot lately, and she's completely still madly in love with you as I recalled you recalled you said to me," said Gibbs.

"She is," said Jack, standing up straighter.

"And you're still completely, madly in love with her," noted Gibbs.

"'Course I am," said Jack.

"Thank you," Gibbs said with a smile and bowed out of the helm.

Jack watched him walk down the stairs and then nod at the crew. Smirks and nods were aimed up at Jack. Suddenly realizing he just gave Gibbs the confirmation he wanted, his body slumped. Well, that cover was out.

"Now ye have gone and done it. Ye gave it away. They know ye have more than just bitty stirrings for her," Jackie announced as he clapped his hands.

"Nothing to be ashamed of mate," John said sympathetically. "There is no shame admitting love and affection for another."

"Of course there is. Now everyone will be after fair damsel for hisself and he made hisself vulnerable to feelings," stated Jackie.

"Just keep an eye on her and all will be well," said John.

"Go away," Jack told them.

Escaping the voices in his head, he once again grabbed his puppy Torin from deck where he was woofing and barking happily. Dog once again in tow, he turned for the captain's cabin. Completely ignoring Angelica and quite frankly not wanting to speak with her, he quickened is pace to his quarters. Once the door was locked, he sighed heavily.

His clothes were removed and thrown in a heap on the floor. Sitting naked on his bed, he looked at his dog simply breathing heavily. Torin knew there was clearly something more than met the eye. His keen dog senses stared at Jack.

Softly groaning to himself, Jack arched his back upward and forward, pressing on his palms on his thighs for further stretch. His eyes happened to glance at his arms and hands, and he suddenly felt he regret his decision to look down. The burning on the right side of his back was not daily wear and tear. His right arm was slightly paler than his left and his back felt inflamed and swelled.

His eyes fell shut tightly as he felt warm liquid slowly drip down his back. Extreme built up pressure sent blood and what he called "Kraken poison" shooting out of the indented marks from the bite. The feeling reminded him of his teen years and those nasty things called pimples, only he didn't himself remove the irritation inside. Rather, this time, the irritation came bursting out of his skin.

Keeping the mess as contained as he could and like always, he went quickly digging through his sea chest for thickly wrapped black cloth. He never was one for black, however, in this instance he'd rather not see the greenish, thick liquid stain white or cream cloth. He hastily wrapped his upper back and shoulder tightly bandaging the poison inside the cloth.

No more could be done than to lie still and wait it out. He lay on his side gently breathing. His body succumbing to slight convulsions because of the unwanted poison, his hand groped for the blanket at the edge of his cot. His knees curled into his chest.

The lovable mutt whined softly as he hopped on the bed. His little paws strode forward cautiously. Simply peeking, his head lowered and nose sniffed away. Since a hand reached upward to pet him, he scoot closer and lay right by Jack's face pressing his warm muzzle into Jack a bit.

A small comforted, satisfied grin widened across Jack's lips. His love for dogs was often not of the knowing world; he tended to keep that one for himself. There was no shame in admitting he adored dogs more than women sometimes, to himself at least. Dogs didn't talk back and were utterly satisfied with a little scratch behind the ears, not to mention dogs had that little sixth sense of knowing something was wrong with their master and felt it was their necessary need to make their human pleased again.

He shouldn't have, but he did. Jack Teague allowed his eyes to shut for a moment of peace and therefore his mind to wander. A peaceful moment and wandering mind led to him straying into an uneasy sleep.

As if fate, Angelica walked in the room with her mouth open, prepared to speak to Jack once more after having the conclusion their talk needed to end once and for all as well as attempt to teach him a thing or two about manners.

All thoughts of disciplining Jack washed away from her mind like loose grains of sand upon the shore. She saw him vulnerable, a state few could say they had seen the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow succumb to. Since he was technically no longer Captain Jack Sparrow, this Jack Teague was allowed a bit more leniency towards emotion.

With a thought in mind as to the reason for his black wrapping, Angelica gently sat herself on his cot opposite his front. The keys gently clanged on the table beside the cot before the oil lamp was turned completely open. After a little gentle wrestling, the black cloth was pulled from his body. She immediately wrinkled her nose at the sight of the puss and poison thickly staining the black.

Her heart sank with her shoulders. Jack's Kraken wound was indeed causing him suffering at present moment. Pain twisted on and off his face with his uncomfortably shifting body. Unsure of what to exactly do to provide healing care, Angelica quickly managed to procure warm water and rag; the least she could do was clean out the wound and his back.

Gentle hands soaked the rag in warm water. Careful to keep quiet, only small amounts of excess water were released at a time and her eyes continuously glanced to Jack's face. Rag and warm water patted the injury until simple clean skin was visible upon his back.

Jack seemed more relieved, for her curled tighter into his pillow with a heavy sigh. All pain escaped from his contorting face and body with the sigh. His eyes remained slow beneath their closed lids.

Angelica, minding his wound, recovered his bare body with the blanket. She left majority of the wound exposed to open air for the dampness to dry, yet covered the front of his torso seeing his slight shivering. His still pale right arm glanced down her eye. Warming his hand, she secured the pale palm between both of hers.

When she turned to glance at him, a flicker of flame light ignited the diamond on her left hand. That same playful smile Jack Sparrow was once known for widened across her lips. They would continue their talk another day, for corruption had been answered and all was left was her journey toward her father's finding and her existence in his eyes. There was not much to be said on matters of corruption and she wondered why everyone, including her and Jack, said they needed to talk. Their talk wasn't much of a talk, or perhaps it was and she simply felt it wasn't. Perhaps there was more to their talk they should have shared and may yet need to share.

For now, she became his Aingeal, protecting him while he slept.

In the morning she would leave before he awoke or at least until she felt herself tired where she would quietly return to her own quarters. Unfortunately, fate decided the latter of the two options, yet she could sleep soundly knowing Jack was not alone. His ever faithful loveable mutt Torin would be there to guard him as he always did.

* * *

><p><strong>Another Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**HELLO! yes welcome back TurtleHeart. wow! i did not see what just happened coming. a year later i finally update. YIKES! SO, SO, SO very SORRY i did that. Honestly, i simply lost it one day and nothing came and then life turned on my time. can you blame me? i moved away from home in Wisconsin to make Charleston, SC home. unfortunately, life was more important than FanFiction, but no more! i am back on the FanFiction scene. (please no haters on making you wait a year. i gots busy! )**

**so, what did you think to this little addition? their talk was much shorter than i thought it would be, but corruption is quite simple to explain. she was corrupted because of the world and she corrupted him. quite simple really, and yes, her tale on her finding of her father will most likely be in the next update, hopefully sooner than a year from now at least.**

**to those of you returning to this story (first of all if you are still with me you have no idea how happy that will make me considering the year long hiatus that i never meant to happen), is it as good as you remember? (and i sincerely apologize if you had to reread the whole thing over again because you forgot what was going on)  
><strong>

**to those of you new what do you think?**

**if it seems a little rusty just let me know and i'll make corrections asap.  
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**as usual questions? comments? concerns? likes? dislikes? anything at all (other than making you wait a year)? let me know!**

**Happy Readings! and again SORRY!**


	14. Findings

**XXX Findings XXX**

North and slight West the Tristan sailed towards Charleston, South Carolina. To the peaceful quiet of the crew, Jack and Angelica were quieter than they ever had been since coming aboard. This was a comfort to all save Gibbs, Philip, and Syrena. The two should have been arguing and fighting, at least bickering over something. Instead, they were quieter, yet watchful of each other.

Jack was his normal charming self at the helm sipping a bottle of rum or wine continuously checking the heading and speed and placement of the sails. He was keeping track of just how much of a speed advantage Tristan had over the Black Pearl. His eyes scanned the helm for the certain Torin who was never far behind him, except for when Jack presented him with a few chew toys made from old rigging and ratlines that need be replaced. The suddenly loveable mutt became the playful mutt.

Torin ran all about the deck with his rope knot ball Jack threw from the helm stairs. The pup dodged in and out of sailors attending their chores and duties as though they were mere spirits, but to the mind of a dog anything placed between him and his play ball did not exist. A few dozen times the dog dodged across the deck for his toy, a few dozen times enough to tell the crew without words to attend duties below deck.

Just as the crew decided the dog was occupying the entire deck of Tristan, the pup collapsed near Jack panting and lapping up a bucket of water. When he raised his head to look at Jack, a combination of drool and water dripped from his mouth in thick gobs, somewhat reminding Jack of the Kraken.

That same captain, who was not on friendly terms with the mighty Kraken, felt his smile and laughter fade from his face muscle by muscle, tone by tone. He clenched his right hand remembering not long ago a time when his arm was numb from the poison and burning pain flowing through his body.

Even after five years since his escape from Davy Jones' Locker and the day he was taken by the Kraken with his currently bottled ship, the days leading to and during his imprisonment were as clear as his dog's drool before him. Though he was never truly one for nightmares, the images of his imprisonment dwelled nightly in his dreams. It seemed every step he took to releasing his hold on the doll the more his nightmares of life were becoming a reality.

Feeling eyes watching and his vulnerability peaked upon the open deck, he scurried for the hidden walls of his cabin, shutting the doors after the tired pup wandered in with him. His sheer curtains were pulled allowing light but not eyes to peek through into the room. Heaving a heavy sigh, he stretched his body, arching backwards hyperextending his fingers and toes. He flopped in his chair at the main table. They were right on track for the journey to Charleston, and regrettably, the Tristan was faster than the Black Pearl.

The Pearl coming back in mind, Jack glanced to his makeshift hammock hanging in his quarters. His beautiful ship was tragically swinging from its hammock as it always was. The storm raged, monkey scurried about, and parrot flying aimlessly around the bottle, neither living beings able to escape the wet and raining storm. He wanted nothing more than to free his ship and simply let her sail to wherever it was she willed. To simply allow his precious Pearl dry in the warm Caribbean sun and sail on gentle night waves was nearly as great as the want for his daughter in his arms.

Having spent much of the past couple years with his daughter on near of a normal basis being without her had become and abnormality in his life. He missed her smile and small arms flailing about as she played with her ships, her giggle at Louie's day to day activities as a dog, her warm body asleep on his chest, and eyes simply looking at him lovingly. His pirating days were near an end, and he was one of few pirates that had something to return to once the days on the account became no more. Though, he still had no idea what he was going to do in life once the days of a man making his way with piracy ended.

"Troubled?"

Wholly jumping from his seat, Jack's eyes widened as his heart suddenly stopped for a moment. His head turned to find one Will Turner sitting on the window seat eating a banana.

"William," he began yet nothing came from his mouth aside from heavy breaths.

"You know, ever since you were taken by the Kraken you have been more spooked by everything than any other man I have ever known, worse than my father," said Will, occasionally pausing to eat his banana.

"Wot are you doing here?" wondered Jack, calmly sitting on the edge of his table.

"I have news for you that may just be to your pleasing ears," said Will. He stood and opened the window to toss out the banana peel. "I know where Barbossa is headed if it be to your interest."

"Of course it is William. Honestly, you're the one who's gotten a bit dumber in the head," noted Jack.

Will shrugged. "It comes with not really being with living people. Those partly dead are less intelligent so to speak aside from my father and I because we read too much, and souls really have nothing to them but their own lives. It comes with the price of being Captain."

"I supposed," agreed Jack quietly, his eyes sadly lowering to the scar on Will's chest.

Lifting his eyes, Will caught Jack's eyes and where they were gazing. He pulled his tunic closer over his chest and stood to wander about the room. After five years he found it awkward when living mortals stared at the scar. "It's not your fault you know."

"I know," said Jack, quickly turning his eyes away from Will then suddenly tilted his head to the side. "Wot's not my fault."

"Five years to the day two months ago," replied Will. "It's not your fault. You did what you thought to be right and it was right what you did. "He smiled to himself. "I never thought that touch of destiny Tia Dalma said I had about me resulted in what it is today. I guess it makes sense though. I never did find my place in the world, and I always felt right when I was sailing on the sea. I also never thought I would have to swear with it how I am today when you said piracy was in my blood."

"Neither did I," said Jack. "And I suppose I should thank you though, for I would not be one to do what you do on a daily basis as Captain of the ghosty ship."

"I knew you wouldn't be able to Jack, I knew it that night you gave me your compass and told me to think like you," said Will. "And it's not as bad as you think and it's not your fault. I'm the one who owes you."

"Then do me one favor Will," said Jack. He walked behind Will, grabbed his arms and turned him around so that they were face to face. "Do not ask me to join if I'm dying on the sea and get me out of the Locker the second I'm dead and promise me you'll have Elizabeth raise Lily."

"I can do that," replied Will nodding, "and dying isn't as bad as everyone thinks it is. Aye, Jack, I was dead for a time. My soul was one of those few that don't need help finding his way. One moment I see Elizabeth and the next I'm looking at my mother and past family and then I'm waking underwater with my father's face before mine. It's not that bad, it's just the mortally wounding that is the worst part."

"Exactly wot I'm trying exactly to avoid. I don't like feeling the feeling of dying," stated Jack.

"I think you've already done that," noted Will. He raised two fingers. "Twice."

"Ah, you were saying you knew where Barbossa was?" Jack said, itching his head suddenly remembering why Will was there.

"Barbossa?" wondered Will, slightly confused then snapped his fingers. "Right. Barbossa is headed to North Carolina, Ocracoke Inlet. Apparently, he wreaked havoc on Charleston. The entire city is up in a blaze and stir. I just heard it from a few unfortunate souls."

Jack raised a curious finger. "Are you sure that was Barbossa. It's not his style, havoc wreaking on towns."

"Queen Anne's Revenge was the name of the ship, the ship of Blackbeard now under the command of Barbossa," said Will, backing away from Jack to sit on the table himself.

"Yeah, but that's not his style. Every pirate has a style. Blackbeard murdered and had a particular liking to voodoo, Jack Rackham was a coward with beautiful women, Kiddy was rich but lost his treasure, Avery was rich and then mutinied poor."

"And Captain Jack Sparrow?" wondered Will.

Jack cleared his throat as he stood up straight. He raised his nose in the air and a finger. With a deep breath he prepared to speak, yet nothing came from his mouth. His mouth clamped shut with the sound of his teeth hitting each other. Both brown eyes turned to the sea as if the water would give him an answer.

Patiently, Will waited while swinging his legs back and forth.

"Captain Jack was Captain Jack mate," replied Jack at last.

"That's not a style," Will said in a sing, song tone.

"Oh shut it. I improvised," said Jack.

"Aye, yeah you did," agreed Will. His head turned to Torin and his foot pointed to the dog. "Since when is he part of your crew?"

Insulted, Jack whined as he walked over to Torin. He lifted the dog into his arms letting him flop about however it was the dog wanted. "Torin here is my first mate and as loyal a first mate as any if not better."

"Never took you for dogs," admitted Will. He approached the dog. His fingers rubbed the pup's muzzle who was panting happily and sniffing him curiously. "He has a good soul and a good long life ahead of him"

"Well that's good to know," said Jack, setting the pup on the floor.

The pup lapped up a bit of water from his water dish then flopped back onto his fluffy pillow. Dissatisfied with the fluff of his pillow, he stood and kicked his paws on the cushions, kneading them to where he wanted and then flopped once more. Satisfied, he curled his body into himself and settled down to finish his afternoon nap.

Will and Jack smiled at the innocent little dog.

Suddenly, Will twisted his neck and curled into himself. He tensed and shifted uncomfortably. "And that's my sign. I have to go Jack. Duty calls."

"Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina is it then?" wondered Jack one last time.

"Aye," replied Will. "Oh and Jack, what you did five years ago finally answered the time old question. Jack Sparrow is a good man."

"Or a good brother," said Jack.

Will smirked the famous Turner smirk and gave a nod of his head before returning to his ship somewhere upon the sea.

Somewhat more satisfied, Jack straightened his tunic and then strode onto deck. Taking his place as captain of the ship for those who may have forgotten, he stood at the helm. "All hands, change of heading! We sail for the Ocracoke Inlet, that's located in North Carolina for those of you who don't know. That's where me sources say Queen Anne's Revenge shall be for my pleasure, oh, and apparently Charleston is on fire. That will be all."

Rushed feet belonging to Angelica, approached Jack. "And how far away are we?"

Answering her question herself, she pushed Jack out of the way to peer over the charts. Jack couldn't help but wonder if it was out of habit or liking to take over everything when she pushed him even further out of the way to take the helm and recourse the ship herself. She barked out orders to the crew who of course took her likely.

"Beg pardon," Jack said, tapping her on her shoulder. "But I am captain of this vessel. When we get your Queen back you can be her King. This is mine not yours."

"Actually Jack, this particular ship belongs to Barbossa. You're just borrowing it. Your ship in a bottle and therefore you are captain of nothing right now," said Angelica.

"A technically then, you are captain of nothing since Queen Anne's Revenge is technically not yours," stated Jack.

"It was my father's and being first mate to my father it therefore by right belongs to me," Angelica told him. "Not to mention I am his daughter."

"You don't even look anything like him. Are you surely sure you are his blood born daughter?" wondered Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure," said Angelica nose to nose with him and then began walking away.

"If you're so sure then why are you walking away from me so quickly?" asked Jack. He caught up to her and grabbed her arm to turn her around and then grabbed her other arm securing her in front of him. "How did you finally find him? Is he even your father?"

"He has to by my father Jack. Edward Drummond was the name of the man mí mama fell in with. Edward Drummond became Edward Teach. I know Blackbeard was my father," stated Angelica confidently.

"How did it take you nineteen years to find him?" wondered Jack.

"I already told you Jack. He was in the Navy as Drummond and then changed his name to Teach then Blackbeard. It took time for me to get my sources in order," said Angelica.

"Really," said Jack, slowly walking forward until they came to a similar situation they were once in. He stood over her keeping his palms pressed into the wood on either side of her so that she could not escape. "How is it you tracked him down? How did you get aboard this ship? How did you convince him you were his daughter?"

"Like I told you, he stumbled up on me," reminded Angelica.

"How does Blackbeard just stumble upon one such as yourself?" asked Jack curiously.

Angelica sighed and shrugged a shoulder innocently. "He literally just found me. Fate as it happens."

"You and Blackbeard and the rest of that ship. What is it with fate?" Jack asked, throwing his hands in the air dramatically. "Fate doesn't determine any man's or woman's life. The man or the woman determines the future not fate."

"And your friend Captain Turner?" wondered Angelica softly turning just her eyes to him.

"That was happen chance. Meself made the choice to give him a change at a new life and it seems he is accepting his duty well," replied Jack.

"You didn't look at me when you said that," noted Angelica.

Just as before, she saw opportunity to grab his arms and take it to her account to turn the tables on Jack Sparrow. She whipped Jack around in sort of a Tango like way, swinging his arm over her head, turning him around so that his back hit the wooden ship.

"When you lie you turn away. You always did have that little flaw about you," she noted, raised her eyebrows. "And when you stretch the truth a smidge you look straight into the eyes."

"All right, perhaps Tia Dalma may have said William had some sort of 'touch of destiny' about him. That doesn't mean becoming captain of the ghosty ship was his little touch of destiny," said Jack confidently.

"Again, you lie," said Angelica softly. "You do believe in fate then Jack Sparrow, just as most others do and therefore you believe in something higher than human life controlling mortal life."

"I do not believe in fate. I'm skeptical of predicting any future, just as I told you dear father Mr. Beard," Jack said, tangoing his way around her in the same manner she did to him so that she was now against the wheel. Both hands grasped two wooden spokes, keeping her in one place. "Right presently at the moment my fate is that little miniature doll of mine, nothing more."

She looked up at him. "And yet, if that doll receives a mortal injury, your little immortality means nothing. Your little doll is your fate Jack."

"And that is exactly why I placed it into your hands," said Jack. "Now, once again, how is it that your father just happened to come by you by fate?"

Knowing she couldn't exactly work her way out of this one all thanks to the wheel of the ship, she moistened her lips and turned away from him, quite sick and tired of seeing his face in front of hers at the moment. "He came upon my ship with all intention to take her I assume. I of course was not going down with a fight so therefore I ordered my crew to attack. It just so happened that he apparently happened to see me. All attack orders were belayed. He wished to come aboard and naturally I let him. He walked right to me, circled me, and took my hands into his own. He told me he was my father."

"And you actually believed him just like that?" wondered Jack.

"No, of course not," snapped Angelica.

Jack raised a finger, but did not release his grasp up on the wheel. "And you like when you get snappy."

"Jack, he told me his name was Edward Teach, formerly Edward Drummond. He knew the captain of the ship Rosa Negro Muerte was Angelica Drummond, his daughter. That was convincing enough Jack. I had always wanted a father and he knew my name Jack. He knew my name," Angelica told him, her voice becoming exasperated and desperate the more she spoke. "He said he saw me coming and knew where I would be at what time. He found me Jack, by fate. Fate told him where to find me."

"Have you ever considered that his fate told him where to find you and it would be you to lead him to the Fountain of Youth and therefore his immortal soul? He was going to use your soul for immortality all along Angelica. You would lead him to me and me to you and together we would lead him to his precious Aqua de Vida. He was never going to let you live. He needed me to locate the tricks of the Fountain and he knew I would do anything to protect you from him. I guarantee he didn't know which of those little pistols were loaded that day. He knew I would do it to keep you safe," said Jack, clearly and with a slight bit of passion.

Angelica turned her head away farther. She had wondered that since that day. Did he know which pistols were loaded? She didn't think he did. And that incident at the Fountain, when he took the cup away from her to gain his own immortality, he didn't once consider that it was his daughter. He saw a mere pawn that he needed for immortality's sake.

Jack grabbed her and hid her from the Quartermaster.

Jack warned her of his mutiny to keep her out of it.

Jack warned her that her father would kill her daughter or not.

Jack pulled her back onto the dock at Whitecap Bay.

Jack tried using his tongue to keep her safe that day on the bridge.

Jack got lucky the first time and "accidentally" let the trigger slip with the second one.

Jack ran in front of her, shoved her back, and jumped from the cliff himself.

Jack got the chalices and brought them back to her.

Jack's first condition was ensuring no harm would be brought to her.

Jack never once hurt her in their little tango with Scrum at the Fountain.

Jack warned her the blade was poisoned and even made to reach her.

Jack scurried to the chalices and continued searching through the water even after the fountain was destroyed.

Jack switched the chalices, knowing her father would drink the one with the tear.

Jack left her on an island that did have a bit of food and water.

Jack took her back in and was taking care of her again.

Jack gave her the engagement right.

Jack put his life into his own hands.

Jack never, ever stopped watching over her.

Blackbeard took her in and gave her a small room.

Blackbeard gave her a few changes of clothes.

Blackbeard gave her command of his ship and crew.

Blackbeard occasionally listened to her.

Blackbeard occasionally allowed her to eat dinner with him.

Blackbeard gave her a hammock and blankets for her comfort.

Blackbeard kept her alive.

Her two mental lists were considerably different in length. The few months she had with Jack aboard the Revenge amounted to keeping her alive and away from harm. The ten months she had with her father, he didn't exactly keep her away from harm. He kept her alive and attended to her wellbeing as though he needed her alive for some sort of ritual that was yet to happen. It was only she who was not affected by his zombie nature. And when he used the sword's power she was the only mortal who was never affected. She was given free reign of most of the ship. The chart room was off limits to her as well as his quarters.

There was a time, however, that she did manage to sneak herself into his chartroom. Of course she had to know what secrets were in there that not even his daughter was allowed to know. She found it was a chartroom yes, with normal sea charts yes, but there were other things as well. Bookshelves were piled high with thick bound covers and came in all sorts of thicknesses and heights. Around the room, these bookshelves had no rhyme or reason. Shrunken heads of different sorts of beings, humans included, lined the single window. Incense burned out a foul smell, of course it attempted to.

Whenever she stood by her father he smelled of the supernatural. There was always the smell of hot iron wherever he moved and hot iron was the smell of supernatural magic. His chart room reeked of hot iron and the incense was there to attempt to burn out the smell.

Various instruments of dark magic carefully held their certain places upon a certain shelf or table beside certain other instruments. Across the room behind his great chair was his cabinet locked by keyed door and cell walls just like his bottled ships. Through trial and error of peeking through the keyhole, she at last discovered that housed his oils, potion, herbs, poisons, and whatever else was required to perform his supernatural acts of voodoo.

Only once did she enter that room reeking of hot iron. She felt eyes constantly watching her and her heart did not still since that once she entered. Dark magic was brewed and perfected in that room. Blackbeard was not only the most infamous, notorious pirate up on the sea, but he also dabbled in the dark arts of voodoo and alchemy, hence his "pirate all pirates fear" nature. Dark voices whispered around her ears and felt like they were travelling through her. Hands seemed to grasp her body in various touches and places as though they were trying to pull her under their spell of wonderful darkness. The candles flickered uncomfortably.

But there was one specific reason she found herself avoiding the door to the chartroom altogether. She happened to notice a hand painted paper on the table. That certain paper she saw herself painted onto it with a large feathered hat, formfitting clothes and coat, and sword at her side. Beside her was Edward Teach, his arm around her. Behind them was what appeared to be an army of zombies. She herself noted that she had an ill, dark look in her eyes.

After seeing her father's intentions to use her for immortality, she would be of no use but to become one under his hot iron spell, to serve at his side while he reigned the seas if not the world.

Suddenly feeling herself being shaken, she snapped out of her mind and immediately slapped whoever was shaking the daylight out of her.

"Not sure I deserved that," noted Jack, moving his jaw back and forth and rubbing his face.

Angelica shook her head. "You're right Jack. All right? My father was trying to kill me. I admit it. He was using me to get you to get immortality and then he would make me fall under his spell with him and we would rule the seas together with his army of walking dead. He probably would have had you under his spell as well since he crafted the doll. We would have both been under his spell had you not done what you did."

"So you say wot I did giving up your father's years to you was the right thing to do is it then?" wondered Jack carefully.

"Yes," replied Angelica. "You were right. My father was evil and he nearly did kill me given the chance, just like you said he would."

"Why is it people are surprised when I tell the truth? Honestly," Jack noted to himself exasperatedly.

Shaking her head in a mixture of tears and disgust, Angelica pushed passed Jack, quickly scurrying into the captain's cabin and then to her quarters.

Woofing, Torin followed her into the main cabin. His little tail wagged back and forth as he had a slight trot as he disappeared beyond the doorway. He found his nose sniffing the ground in a zigzag sort of pattern. The loveable mutt wiggled his small, furry body into Angelica's room. With a little yelp, he tumbled on the floor and rolled a few times. Immediately, he jumped to his feet to shake off the roll. Finding what his nose was searching for, he hopped onto Angelica's lap in the window. His growing paws kneaded her thighs for a moment then he settled in her lap against her belly.

Angelica lowered her tear streaked face towards the dog. A hand softly caressed the pups head and back. She noticed she didn't seem to mind, for she felt him sink deeper into her body. Soft, consistent breaths sounded from her lap matching the warmth rising and falling against her.

She couldn't help the small smile widening across her moist lips. Feeling better suddenly, the back of her hand wiped across her eyes and she sniffled a few times hoping to alleviate her runny nose.

A blanket gently draping over her shoulders caused a frightened jump and slight yelp. When she whipped her head around none other than Jack Teague curled a leg under his body before he sat behind her.

With no words spoken between them whatsoever, Jack grasped her upper arms with both his hands. His soft grip pulled her backwards until her back was pressed against his chest. Those hands became arms slowly reaching across her to grasp the opposite arm. His cheek pressed against her forehead.

Jack comforted her like no other.

All resolve and image for her tough, impenetrable outer core cracked. She sought comfort in Jack that even he found surprising. Her upper body twisted into his chest, completely spinning around.

Slightly shocked and wondering if he was seeing right, Jack tilted his head to the side to ensure he was seeing what he was feeling. Indeed, Angelica, daughter of Blackbeard, was grasping his tunic in a tight fisted ball and softly weeping against him. The warm moisture soon wet his tunic against his flesh.

Torin glanced his dog eyes up at Jack who looked down upon him, both curious to the current display, yet neither making a sound. Just as before, the loveable mutt curled up against her, finding he enjoyed her curled into Jack more than when she was sprawled out across the sofa.

Jack himself, slipped an arm under her knees twisting her wholly into his lap. Her chest was buried in his chest, arms tight by her face, not quite allowing Jack to see just how large and consistent the tears fell out of her eyes. Her knees bent at an angle down his thigh towards the floor. Feeling comfortable with her in his lap, Jack leaned against the wall behind him. His hand pulled her hair behind her shoulders in a small twist and the blanket wrapped tighter around her. His arms equally wrapped tightly around her.

Hearing her choke and hiccup a bit, Jack caressed her head and softly hushed her, giving her more comfort to seek from him.

Jack was the only one who could watch her cry.

Jack cared for her like no other.

Jack loved her.

She loved Jack.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**reviews are greatly appreciated as always!**

**well, now we finally know just how Angelica met up with her father and where to find Blackbeard. Ocracoke Inlet, sound familiar to anyone because it should? Barbossa shall join up with our travelers and we head over to Charleston.**

**so, Angelica finally realizes Jack was right all along. what do you think of that? how about the fact that i added Blackbeard's voodoo talent from the book On Stranger Tides? what about Jack and Angelica in the ending seeking comfort from each other? **

**questions? comments? concerns? likes? dislikes? let me know!**

**Happy Readings!**


	15. Abandon Ship

**XXX Abandon Ship XXX**

Following their little findings and revelations, every soul aboard saw a change of character between the former wicked Jack and spitfire Angelica. What was once discomfort and the desire to control had become comfort and desire for company. She or he followed he or she wherever it was he or she or she or he went. More than not, they were speaking with each other about a great many things.

Whenever one had the opportune chance to listen in on their conversations, most would hear talk of nonsense, nothing and everything that mattered to them it seemed. Past memories. Past experiences. Past travels. Past adventures. Future wishes. Nonpermanent future plans. Temporary engagements. Nothing and everything.

Their latest comfort together happened in the warm southern Colonial water. Once again, Jack had prepared a fine dining meal held at the helm of the ship rather than in the smack dab middle of deck. Safely tucked behind the wheel, nothing but light and shadows escaped to the feasting eyes of the crew down below.

Two wine glasses gently clanked together, resonating a high pitch chime that caused Torin to raise his twitched ears in curiosity.

"Now tell me you didn't miss this," Jack implored.

Angelica merely grinned while sipping her wine. "There was this one time, a fling mind you, when a very fine Spaniard spent a year's pay on my behalf. Wine, music, candlelight, dancing, dresses, charms. He was a bit better than you a spending a year's pay of money. Every night there was wine and food and dancing and new dresses to indulge upon. What had I to miss about you?"

Jack raised his head and puffed out his chest. "I guarantee I am more handsome than him."

"I actually thought he was you when he introduced himself to me. It didn't take long to realize he was missing your charm," noted Angelica.

"I'll toast to that indeed," said Jack, holding out his wine glass once more.

Angelica drew a deep breath and clanged hers against his with a roll of her eyes. "You're not going to get me drunk Jack; you never did succeed before and therefore you will not now."

"No, no, no. I want you to remember tonight. How often do you get the honor of dining in front of the Captain in his element at the helm while captaining a ship? Who else in the world would have half as many skills and talents as me to host dinner and captain a ship?" said Jack.

The spitfire Angelica tilted her head to the side as she thought "real" hard. She turned back to Jack and smiled. "I'm sure I could take you up on that offer should you so desire."

"I know you would and I know you could," said Jack nodding his head.

Both captains sat quiet as they indulged upon their roasted, honey covered chicken, buttered shrimp, fresh rye bread, steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, and the waiting fresh apple pie. Neither bothered to pay heed to the gawking that was transpiring upon the crew as they peeked at them. Which question was it they wanted answered: what were they doing or what were they eating or how did they come by such a succulent feast? The questions were simple: they were enjoying a dinner, they were eating good food, and a certain friend of Jack's who just happened to have no business beyond world's end was bored enough to get food for the Captain's Dinner no extra favored owed.

Torin alerted the two of an intruder with a low, startled woof.

"Yeah, yeah I know, I know pup. Hello," replied Philip, approached the two but not without a pat on the head to the dog. "I know you said no intruders to your Captain's Dinner, but I think you should see this and confirm what it is I believe it is."

"Well, seeing as you've already interrupted," began Jack unpleasantly. "What is it that I must see and confirm what you believe it is?"

Quite simply, Philip handed him a glass. "Just look behind you. I think that's Charleston."

Humoring him, although not pleased at all that his dinner was ruined, Jack raised an eyebrow as he snatched the glass away from the former missionary's palm.

In the distance, perhaps a league or near two leagues away from their current sail, orange and yellow lit the distance. Haze hovered above the glowing light and that particular light cascaded across the coastline, brightening up the night like a false sunrise.

His face twisted into a grimace. Setting an entire city ablaze was not Barbossa's style. Well, it wasn't his style often. Only once before had a city suffered his wrath and that city happened to be Port Royal seven years or so ago. Now with limitless power, one Hector Barbossa knew his limits were limitless. He could do what he wanted without the fear of reprimand.

Power corruption plus Barbossa did not have a pleasant outcome.

Jack did nod his head though. "You know, Barbossa makes an acceptable replacement for Blackbeard. They're both becoming powerful, heartless, soulless, cross grind curs. I wonder what Charleston did to Barbossa."

"This wrong," Angelica spat. "Why would he do this? All those innocent people, lives destroyed because one man wanted to show off his little powerful sword. Why would he do this Jack? There must be a reason. As you said once, it's not his style unless he wants something."

"I dunno, but we'll find out soon enough," said Jack.

"If the Royal Navy hasn't gotten to him first," Philip's quiet voice sounded beside them.

The three exchanged glances as they sailed past the false sunset. Barbossa was more out of control than they thought and time was running out. They had to get that Sword from Blackbeard's replacement before more of the world was destroyed. A world controlled by Hector Barbossa out of revenge for his twisted, hairy right leg didn't sound appealing one bit.

And if the Royal Navy had gotten to the pirate then they would be in control of the Sword and most likely that sword would return to the King who would then keep it as a prize for the Crown and the thought of the King of England unlocking its power was truly uncomfortable.

A chain of events was weaving itself together link by link every day and that chain was extending further and further into the reaches of the Locker, where their souls would travel if they were not able to stop the growth. The three of them were in over their heads way more than they thought.

Uncomfortable with that thought, Jack pressed his hands together as he bowed out between the two of them. Ever faithful, Torin stood, his claws scrambling to find grip on the wood as he chased after his master. Locking himself in his own solitude, Jack flopped onto his cot rather than hammock that night. His only light source was that of the moon's rays.

Suddenly the situation and gravity was weighing down upon him. He was in way over his head than he had been with anything in his life before. When Will told him Charleston was set ablaze by Barbossa, he thought it may have been the dock. When Jack saw how Charleston had been set ablaze by Barbossa, he knew Will meant _Charleston_. Knowing the Spanish, they too were hot on pursuit. How could one man simply set Charleston ablaze? And, of course, they Royal Navy was obviously going to be on Barbossa's wake.

The Royal Navy, who will never stop hunting down Jack Sparrow until his body hangs.

The Spanish, who want to remove the additional years through means of bringing back the Inquisition.

Angelica, who was completely in love with him all over again.

The _Black Pearl_, trapped in a bottle doomed to sail within walls of glass for eternity.

Lily-Rose, the one thing he couldn't live without, the one thing that he loved more than his own life, hiding away.

John and Jackie, ever plaguing his mind with his former self and his potential future self.

A voodoo doll, his very life hanging literally on threads.

Time was running out, and when the hourglass did seep the final grain of sand, something inside his recently rapidly growing old bones said those little grains of sand would converge in one place at one time in one final showdown and it was the showdown that worried Jack Teague.

His eyes turning to the darkened skyline, Jack suddenly felt shivers passing from the nape of his neck downward through his spine and chilling the bones in his body. He felt like he wasn't going to be alive after that showdown. Jack Sparrow may meet his match on that day, and what at day it would be.

And if he was going to die on that day like the tingly feeling going down his spine was hinting then that would be a day to remember and the day he would forever become immortal in the history books.

Jack changed once those little ideas protruded inside his brain. He was quieter than his already unusually quiet nature and when he did speak, he spoke to himself and two others. His body language changed between three people and he had a tendency to shift personalities upon the deck for all eyes to see.

"I say you are frightened and your frights are getting a hold of you."

"Aye, get a grippie on yourself mate. Yer losing it like Tortuga loses clothes at night."

"For once, I agree with our flamboyant friend over here," noted John, motioning behind him as he crawled up Jack's left for arm before setting on his left shoulder.

Jackie smiled, all gold teeth exposed as he contently settled himself on Jack's right knee.

"Are you two sure I'm just losing it? Because I know what losing it is and I've been doing it for about five years now. So in reality I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary because I've been losing it ever since I first invented you two in the Locker and therefore I'm just behaving as my normal self. Right?" Jack asked his companions.

The two miniature Jacks glanced toward each other, both shrugging and nodding.

"Aye."

"Yup."

"Oh, good then," Jack said to himself as he settled against the side of the wooden hull once more. Both hands folded and nestled behind his head while his legs stretched out and ankles crossed. His two companions, insulted that their placements were disrupted, converged at Jack's thighs. Jack looked down upon them again. "What do you think of Barbossa Teach?"

John pressed his palms together apologetically. "I'd rather not discuss him in front of you mate."

"No need to discuss it ye pitiful excuse for a pirate. I think good sir Barbossa Teach is under attack. Me deadlights do believe that we have reached Ocracoke Bay," noted Jackie.

"Wot?" Jack cried as he bounded to his feet, glass in hand.

Peeking through the glass, he noted a military ship heading towards a ship with red sails. Guns blazed on both sides. Jack recognized one ship. _Queen Anne's Revenge_ was under attack by the Royal Navy and it appeared she was not getting out of the fight.

Before Jack's mouth barked orders, Angelica was already at the helm doing so rather spectacularly. He quickly rushed his feet upward to reach her.

"Any ideas what we do now Jack?" wondered Angelica.

"Uh, we get Barbossa and the Sword meaning we join the fight," said Jack.

"Good, I've been bored behaving as your good little temporary fiancée," Angelica told him with a steadfast gaze toward her prize.

Jack's soul suddenly warmed as he stole a smile for himself behind her. She said it. She admitted she was playing his temporary fiancée. It was a start toward his ultimate plan for the future. Hearing her say it couldn't possibly ruin the rest of the day. In fact, he felt like fighting for the Sword even more now. Once they got the sword then they could simply release the _Pearl_ and sail to New Orleans. Over a bottle of bourbon he could end the doll's connection and celebrate being alive. Angelica was always cute when she was drunk.

"Jack, pay attention," snapped Angelica.

"Yes, deary," Jack replied in a singsong voice. "And I would assume you have a plan of attack, yes?"

"We sail, we jump ship, we grab Barbossa and the Sword, we abandon ship, and we embrace the oldest and noblest pirate tradition," replied Angelica, her voice unusually thick with her Spanish accent.

"I like it," relied Jack smoothly.

Though both knew her plan of attack was sound in reasoning, it was by far not as simple as both wished. Being behind the Navy did have its advantages as always, yet it was in front of the Navy Jack wanted to be. He had one goal in mind: retrieve the Sword of Cortes. There was no such desire in him to destroy Barbossa. He would do whatever required to retrieve the Sword and if that meant destroy Barbossa then down with the ship Barbossa would go as every good Captain should do.

Quickly, both Angelica and Jack grabbed Gibbs and Philip to replace them at the helm while they rushed to the captain's quarters and armed themselves.

Arming themselves required a quick change of clothes and assembling armaments. Knowledgeable of attacks and skilled at weaponry, both eased their belts and buckles around themselves. Weapons and ammo already on person and swords sharpened, attack was second nature for the two of them.

Slightly beating her at the art of arming himself, Jack pulled a piece of cloth from the table and stood behind her. He pulled her hair behind her head, fastening in securely out of her face and then adjusted her belts to her person more securely.

She quickly flipped around to grab her pistol and found herself face to face, nearly lip to lip with Jack.

Both gasped at the slight movement, stunned and shocked. For some reason, a reason unknown, the idea of jumping aboard a ship already under attack by a force they were trying to avoid to retrieve a weapon of unthinkable power had passed through their minds. They were focused on each other as two lovers would have done before saying their goodbyes as if they knew they would never see each other again.

Jack's hand found his fingertips touching her chin then working upward until he cupped her face. He had to do this. He was ready for this. The timing was opportune. Everything inside of him said this was the moment.

Angelica leaned her face into the cup of his palm, her breath suddenly stolen from him. She was only slightly more aware of the situation, yet she was content standing before him with his hand on her face. Her mind suddenly returned to the past, toward a memory he was probably recalling as well.

"_I can fight Jack. Let me do this," teenage Angelica hollered as she fumbled with her belts._

"_I'm afraid not luv. Ye just aren't good enough yet. Ye have the fight and the spirit not the skills ye need," Jack told her._

"_You taught me how to fight with a sword," protested Angelica._

_Jack turned around suddenly, raising a finger in the air for dramatic emphasis. "_Teaching_, teaching ye to fight luv. You're still learning to use a sword."_

"_Then I'll stay back from the heat of battle and fire a pistol. I can help," Angelica told him, desperately trying to sway his mind._

"_You stay," Jack told her._

_He turned his back again to finish settling his pistols in his pocket. His sword was sheathed and then he whipped around to make his escape, but found himself face to face with Angelica, her lips right before his._

_She too happened to whip around simultaneously as him, his lips right before hers._

_Both startled and stunned, they were unable to move away from each other's presence. Two sets of brown eyes gazed into the others as if memorizing every feature of their lover like this was the last moment they would be together._

"_I have to go luv, and you stay here," Jack told her._

"_I'm not letting you leave me behind again. Last time you left me behind, I watched them carry you back with a knife in your side," Angelica reminded him._

"_It was just a scratch and I was walking," Jack told her innocently._

_Angelica shook her head, not buying his usual claim that he didn't nearly die from being stabbed. Warmth stung her eyes and she forced herself not to blink._

_Jack's hand found his fingertips touching her chin then working upward until he cupped her face. He had to do this. He was ready for this. The timing was opportune. Everything inside of him said this was the moment._

_Angelica leaned her face into the cup of his palm, her breath suddenly stolen from her. She moved her head upward._

_Jack's head lowered slowly._

_Both sets of brown eyes shut just millimeters before their lips connected but not before-_

"Jack, Angelica. Go. Now."

Shaking out of it Angelica turned away from Jack and rushed passed Philip, Jack following on her heels. As custom and seemingly the simplest means possible, both grabbed two loose lines hanging from above. For a brief moment as he swung across _Tristan_ to _Queen Anne's Revenge_ Jack noted how whenever he needed to swing from ship to ship, rope was always the most successful means of doing so and it always just happened that it always worked.

Side by side, the two conquering pirates planted their feet on deck, in the heat of battle. Immediately, they found themselves surrounded by marines, clearly mistaking them for crew of the _Revenge_. Cutting them down, Jack strode forward while Angelica had another intention in mind. Jack pushed aside every marine who dared get in his way, sighting a feathered hat that was unmistakable.

"Barbossa," he hollered at the top of his lungs. "Yoo hoo! Hector, come here!"

His sword through the belly of his enemy, Hector Barbossa stopped his actions. His head tilted to the side. No, it couldn't be. Why would Jack Sparrow be here? How did he get here?

"Barbossa."

"Jack?" Barbossa hollered behind him, turning.

A yelp passed through the pirate captain as a sword belonging to a marine raised over head. Before either had the time or recognition to react, there was another sword through the belly of the marine not belonging to either of them.

Jack pushed the body from his sword. "Why am I always saving your hide?"

"I never asked ye to do so Jackie," noted Barbossa.

"Isn't it time we embrace the oldest and noblest pirate tradition?" Jack asked unusually sweetly and regaining his nearly forgotten Captain Jack Sparrow charm.

"Aye, now that ye mention it. Not a bad idea," admitted Barbossa as a bullet whizzed past his hat.

Hightailing it out of there, Barbossa pushed Jack into a marine while he fled across deck to the balcony outside the captain's quarters. "Gentlemen of _Queen Anne's Revenge_, I hereby resign my commission aboard this vessel of infamy and therefore embrace an old and noble tradition in piracy."

With his last word, he slashed through a marine who seemed to have an affection towards, for he was not more than five paces away since his arrival aboard the ship. And with his man cut down, he bowed his head and arms gracefully forward.

"Abandon ship."

Jack rolled his eyes as he recognized the voice to belong to Scrum. That pirate sure wasn't what pirates used to be. With the fighting heating up, Jack whipped his head around and his body trailed. Where was Angelica? His heart suddenly thundering in his chest, Jack's eyes scanned all dark haired bodies aboard the deck only to realize there were more dark haired persons than before.

The Spanish.

"Angelica!" Jack hollered, sudden fear taking over him. "Angieal! Angelica!"

Both the Royal Navy and the Spanish on one ship, both after him. Odds were not in his favor. The Royal Navy would never stop hunting him down and the Spanish knew one of the two was immortal. Hollering her name was lessening his odds of escape, for they were coming after him.

Slashing through both English and Spanish blood, Jack's desperate search continued as he leapt over bodies, so that he could manage to wiggle his way into the belly of the ship. Suicide described a man who willingly went below the freedom of escape from the deck of a ship to succumb to the bowels below. But Angelica was not among the freedom of escape and therefore she had to be below deck for some reason.

Rather than hollering for her, he cut his way through using any method he could think of, including barrels, hooks, and leaping through the cargo. Something was telling him to seek her out in her small little hole in the wall that she called her quarters. She had to have been there. But why? Why would she hide out in her quarters? She told him she would assist him in retrieving the Sword. She knew what was at stake and she ran away from him.

Finally, and with a leap over two fighting men, Jack managed to slam the door shut to her quarters. He leaned against the wood, inhaling deep breaths finding that was a more difficult task than was said.

Angelica whipped out from a door in the wall, dragging with her a chest of incredible size and what appeared to be equally incredible weight.

"Wot are you doing?" Jack demanded. "We don't have time for this Angelica. The Spanish are here."

"Then help me Jack," Angelica spat.

"We have to go. Just leave it," Jack told her, pulling at her arm.

Angelica pulled out of his arm by digging her heel into the top of his toes and threw her weight into the chest once more.

"The Spanish Angelica. You know 'determined to make them suffer through every year of their immortality for disrupting what the Lord did not give'. Does that not ring any bells in your head? You risk torture for a chest?" wondered Jack.

"Yes," Angelica cried.

With a cry of frustration, Jack pulled at the other side of the chest, lifting it from the floor. "You're going to be the death of me you know that."

"Jack, we have no disadvantage. I have a boat outside my window," replied Angelica.

"You're improvising. That's good," noted Jack.

"Actually, I'm planning. Planning has always been more successful for my standards," said Angelica.

"Ha! Why have a plan when all plans never go according to plan and when they go astray no one knows what to do therefore improvisation is the way to go," Jack told her.

"Speak for yourself," said Angelica with a grunt as they lifted the chest onto to window ledge.

Both lowered the heavy old chest through the window. Angelica jumped into her little boat while Jack balanced the chest on the windowsill.

A cry of pain escaped through Jack's teeth as he arched his back and hands slipped from the chest, sending it falling hard onto the bottom of the boat.

"Jack!" Angelica screamed, scrambling to climb back to him.

His eyes glanced downward. With each breath, the blade that was emerged from his chest rose and fell.

"You," came a voice behind him.

"Hasn't your mother told you it's not nice to stab someone in the back?" Jack questioned as he turned around to face the Spanish speaking sailor. He gave another cry as the blade was pulled from his body. "And you, this is all your fault. I got stabbed because of you."

A pistol sent a bullet flying through the air, followed by another and another. Chaos ensued in the small room. Bullets, swords, and knives flew about and carelessly at the two of them with one purpose: to destroy the Sparrow and Blackbeard's Daughter.

Instinct and adrenaline fueling him, Jack pressed his palms into Angelica's back, pushing her out the window into her little boat and therefore safety.

Quick thinking and with his famous improvisation, he leapt onto her bed, bouncing to her door where he noticed a lantern. How handy those things had come for him in recent years. Fire licked at the wall opposite of her bed and he bounced back across the room.

"Gentlemen," he said with a quick bow and flashed a smile before throwing the lantern against the warm wall.

With the explosion slightly propelling him, he leapt out the window, diving into the water. Keeping himself protected from more flying lead and knives, he swam farther under and between the wreckage, keeping an eye on the surface for a small boat. He found some peace swimming under the waves with the light shining in the waters above.

Actually, he found an unusual amount of solitude beneath the waves. The sun shimmered above him like a watercolor painting that was alive or a stream of water and constant light. Little particles in the water shimmered with the watery rays and further down onto the ocean floor, painting light among the reefs and colorful critters.

He never before appreciated the serenity of life underwater and he'd spent probably days underwater through the entirety of his life and swimming. Breathing wasn't necessary anymore so he had time to enjoy the peace. His hair and limbs were numb, flowing however it was the waves took them. Weightless, his eyes shut. Calm, he nearly felt he could sleep on the ocean floor. He always did want to test the theory of a sea bed. Sea sponge always did look unusually inviting. His head nodded forward. Sleep was his friend at the moment. He was tired from battle and the water was warm and comfortable.

His body was pulled by the current gently laying him on the seabed where he felt like curling up and resting. Eventually he would find his way back to_ Tristan_. Being King of the Merfolk he was pretty sure he could hitch a ride from one of them back to the ship.

Instead of reaching the sea bed, cold, salty air reached his face and wood his body. Realizing he was no longer under the water breathing in the sweet water, his lungs immediately rejected their newfound source of oxygen and returned to what it was they were designed to breath. Water poured out of his body in the form of heavy, deep gasps. His serenity ended with harsh, dry air.

A hand rubbed his back soothingly as he expelled water from his lungs.

"Remind me not to inhale water again," he managed through gasps.

No words were spoken between him and the mysterious hand as he coughed and resumed breathing. His own breath steadying again, he nodded his head.

"Jack," Angelica whispered.

"Yes?" wondered Jack as he lifted his head.

Shutting her eyes, Angelica's arms flung around Jack's body, holding him close to her.

Accepting her embrace, Jack's palms pressed against her back. Nauseous because of the lack of hair and vision dotted with black spots, his eyes shut as he further leaned into her. His hands dropped and forehead rested against her shoulder and neck.

"That chest better be worth it," he muttered.

"It is, I promise," replied Angelica.

"Jack, are you okay?" Philip asked softly, kneeling beside them. "Are both of you okay?"

Jack waved a hand. "Peachy," replied from Angelica's shoulder.

"Sí," replied Angelica.

"Um, can you two remove bullets and not lose years?" wondered Philip.

"I dunno. Why do you ask?" inquired Jack, turning his head so his cheek was resting against Angelica's shoulder allowing his eyes to see forward.

"Because you two are covered in them," replied Philip. He offered them a weak smile.

And because of _that_ Jack pushed from Angelica's arms and she too pushed Jack away from her. Their eyes stared at the companion before them. Both saw the same appearance, bullet holes and, in some areas, bullets. Chest, stomach, arms, legs. Gashes and gouges also lined their bodies and were visible between the shredded clothes.

Eyes, lots of eyes were upon them. They felt the curious, concerned, wondrous stares and gazes. Mouths were agape and no words were spoken between any man to another.

"So, you're both immortal then?" assumed Scrum. "Hm, that's one way to get by in the world never being lonely."

All signs of life suddenly returning to him, Jack grabbed Angelica's arm to quickly pull her into the Captain's Cabin. His curtains were quickly pulled shut and the door locked. He slumped against the door, recent events taking their toll on him. His eyes turned to Angelica who turned her gaze back to him, into his eyes.

No words were spoken between them, but words were not needed to explain their mutual feeling. The Spanish knew. The Spanish knew they were immortal; they had all the confirmation they needed.

Jack slumped down the door until he sat on the floor with his legs spread before him and hands flat on the ground. He then shut his eyes and breathed heavily. "I think I can feel the lead in my bones."

"I think it's time we removed that bullet that embedded itself in your chest years ago," noted Angelica.

Reluctantly, Jack nodded his head. "And I know just the person who can do it."

"Gibbs?" assumed Angelica.

"No, our dearest friend of the _Dutchman_," replied Jack.

"Jack, he has a duty to complete in a world that is not ours," reminded Angelica as she too settled herself on the table, beginning to feel slightly heavier than normal.

"He'll do it. He likes me," Jack said confidently as he waved his hand in the air.

"Jack," Angelica whispered.

"All right, all right," replied Jack. He pressed his palms on the ground and feet forward. Both palms walked up the door as his feet pushed him upward as well until he was standing. "Then we help ourselves seeing as this is your fault. A chest. I'm walking ammunition because of a chest."

"Shut up and sit down," Angelica snapped.

Obliging her, Jack collapsed onto the window seat. He figured since they were removing bullets he may as well sit in the sunshine so she could see what she was doing. Though he was immortal, it was most uncomfortable feeling heavy weight lodged in his organs and bones. None of it hurt anymore thankfully; it was just uncomfortable.

Seeing movement beside him, Jack rolled his head to the left.

Angelica pulled a chair forward where she set the small medical supply basket on the sea and she pulled another chair to seat herself. She glanced to Jack apologetically as she ripped the rest of his clothing and belts from his person, although she knew Jack would understand.

"Make yourself useful," she told him, handing him a magnifying glass.

"Let's just get this over with," Jack said softly as he held the glass over the left side of his breast. "May as well start with the oldest one, eh?"

"If you insist," replied Angelica, though it was her to speak of it first.

Out of force of habit with medicine, Angelica poured pure alcohol over the tweezers. She placed bandages around Jack's side, neither knowing if he would bleed or not, yet both presuming he would.

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you get this?" Angelica softly asked as her fingers opened the wound.

Jack drew a deep breath. "Long story short, my father shot me to get me to stay away from him. He and all his infinite wisdom thought keeping me away from him would give me a better life to lead than his own. After me mother died, he abandoned me to a friend in London where we both ended up joining the Navy as you know. I met back up with him after I had become Captain Jack Sparrow. He was afraid I would turn into wanted pirate scum who made his way stealing, cheating, and lying as he had done most of his life. He wanted his little Sparrow to have a better life so he hoped I would hate him if he shot me. The problem was he shot me twice in his desperation. One bullet he removed that night, the other had to stay as you now feel. Just pull Angelica. Honestly, waiting for me to allow you to pull a bullet from me chest is hardly—ow! Yeah, like that."

"You're welcome," said Angelica, sweetly.

Before she set the bullet in the bowl she had prepared, Jack snatched it away from her possession. His fingers twirled around the ball, impressed it still had its shape. He felt the markings and the lead. After all these years, his body was free of a wound that destroyed him and his father once and for all. Teague had won the battle after the little piece of lead entered his body. All hopes of a relationship and companionship were lost between them.

Jack had suddenly learned to fear his father rather than respect him. It was after he awoke that he left his father's life as permanently as he could being Lord of the Caribbean and Keeper's son. They kept their distance with no communication and Jack was determined to continue out his day's pirating to spite his father's wishes. He was in too deep to turn out. Already wanted by the Navy and making a name for himself, Jack Sparrow slowly became who he was known for.

Yet, for all their avoiding each other and lost relationship, they found certain comfort from one another when time forced them to be together and he always found himself recalling those moments. No words, just company for an hour or two. They lived for those moments.

But, that was years ago, and their relationship was quite strong nowadays. They finally found a father/son relationship they could agree on all thanks to a little girl and a few talks.

Discreetly, Jack slipped the bullet into his trouser pocket as he moved the glass to his belly as Angelica prepared to remove another bullet from his body.

The actual process of removing bullets had a worse bark than bite. Just as they thought, the process was quite a bit bloody, considering they were digging metal rods through flesh and pulling apart open wounds for the actual removal. Painful was not the word that described it; uncomfortable was a more appropriate word. Only one bullet caused Jack pain and that bullet was secured in his trouser pocket. He supposed that one was a bit painful because he received it before his immortal years.

Tweezers and fingers dug between bones and organs. Worst of all, Jack helped Angelica snap bones and reset them after lead was removed. He silently panicked only once and that was because he was holding one half of his spine in place while Angelica held onto the other half after she had dug deep into his body for a bullet. He did feel himself gag once or twice while Angelica kept two fingers pressed against his stomach, pushing it nearly all the way to his right side.

Surprising, and yet not, once the bones were snapped back into their original form, they mended as they should be.

Feeling back to normal and lead free, Jack hopped from the seat and shuddered dramatically, every limb shaking. His wounds healed before him, including the gashes and gouges received in the heat of battle. He stood in the center of the room, curiously inspecting himself like he was under cursed Aztec gold. Fingers twirled and limbs twisted. His head turned to Angelica who was sitting in his window with her bare back facing him, and face patiently waiting.

It was then that Jack saw he was unsuccessful toward getting her out of the room quickly enough. Two bullet holes ruined her Spanish porcelain, one upon her shoulder and the other near her side, both to the left. Wholly, his body slumped. He failed protecting her.

Again.

_Hearing her cry out, Jack's head whipped around. His surroundings around him dulled and suddenly slowed. The world nearly came to a sudden stop. Slowly, he watched her fall and yet, she did not touch the cold wood already poisoned with thick, red warmth. His arms slipped under her knees and around her shoulders._

_"Aingeal, stay with me. Do not close your eyes. You'll be fine. I'll save you," he whispered to her._

_"Perhaps I should have listened to you this time Jack," noted Angelica, pain hinted in her voice, though she attempted to hide the pain she was feeling._

_Her fingers gingerly reached towards her left side where the pads felt a hole through her flesh and warm liquid pouring from the wound._

_Jack noticed and pressed her palm against the wound, staunching as much of the blood flow as he could._

_"Jack," Angelica's voice called softly._

_"Yes luv? And ye better not be saying any goodbyes or farewells or bon voyages or adioses yet," Jack told her firmly._

_"Kiss me, like you almost did before I ran out to fight a battle I should not have," Angelica requested, pleading in her voice._

_Moisture swelled in Jack's eyes. He was very well aware that he and Angelica were sitting in the middle of a dying battle of which his crew was winning the day. He felt his burden slump into his body, seeking comfort and warmth. The color from her face waxed away, he wasn't sure if he could save her. He may have wasted away too much time already and that kiss may have been her only kiss from him or any one in her life._

_Obliging her request, he shifted her gently in his arms and then leaned his head forward, lowering his lips onto hers. He felt the desperation in her return and her fingers quivered as they reached for his jaw._

_Breathing in gasps, Angelica pulled away from the kiss. Her chest heaved and body convulsed against Jack. Red liquid seeped from the corner of her lips. She weakly smiled at Jack and then leaned her head into his chest, slumping against him._

_The cry that escaped from Jack's mouth that afternoon may have carried across the seas on the cold wind of the blood red dusk._

_But, of course, Jack did not lose his Angelica that day. She held onto that single thread of life the Fates had yet to cut with their crooked shears. He remained at her side as the lead was removed from her body and stayed the quiet vigil beside her, keeping her warm as blood returned to her form and when she did wake he was the one to give her an earful._

And when Jack returned to the present world at present moment, his fingers had somehow already removed the lead from her body. He had no memory or recollection of digging into her flesh, watching her flinch as he removed the aftermath of the battle. Apparently, his fingers and hands and subconscious worked in autopilot for him. He wasn't quite the most settled realizing removing bullets was of that second nature to him.

A fluffy head and moist tongue startled him from his thoughts. Torin wagged his ever growing hind from side to side, swinging his fluffy tail. His concerned, huge and quite frightened eyes gazed at Jack. A low whine howled from his muzzle into the air.

"I'm fine, Daddy's fine," Jack assured. "Just let me put me clothes back on and then I'll get ye some grub."

And with that thought, clothes were thrown at him smack in the face provided by Angelica of course.

"He was hiding in your quarters between your clothing trunks," said Angelica.

"Yup, he's all my brains and your looks," said Jack with a firm nod of the head.

He was soon dressed in non holy clothes and strode onto deck and made a beeline for the helm where his assumption that Barbossa would be standing was correct.

"I don't suppose your leggy bottle is full," hinted Jack.

"Fresh out lad. Been meaning to refill for a few days now," replied Barbossa, his voice distant and eyes narrow a he gazed at every angle and gleam of the ship, almost like he recognized something familiar.

"If it means anything at all it is refreshing to see you have returned to the proper side and lack of that wig," said Jack, not making eye contact.

"Likewise Jackie, but I suppose ye had ta change yer image if ye wanted to walk in public," replied Barbossa.

"It's not that bad really," admitted Jack tightening the cloth keeping his hair secured behind his neck and glancing at his arms.

"Where to Captain?" asked Philip.

"Charleston."

"Tortuga."

Both Captians' eyes narrowed.

Jack pointed to himself. "This is my ship and therefore it makes me Captain. Angelica has rights as first mate and Philip is quartermaster. There are no ranking positions available at the moment but I shall consider your consideration should a position become available."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. And there it was, Jack was slowly returning back to what he once was. Hungry and quite not in the mood for Jack's antics, the elder pirate strode forward and onto deck with an every other foot clang.

Squinting his eyes, Jack waited for the opportune moment to peek praying to every god and goddess he knew, Calypso oddly above them all, that Barbossa had it on his person or all the effort he just went through would have been in vain.

A Spanish temper suddenly cried out and flared and Jack saw one Hector Barbossa lose balance and fall directly on his rump in the middle of deck. He cradled his jaw gingerly in the palm of his hand. A tooth was spat from his mouth.

Angelica flipped on her heels and was parted a path to Jack at the helm who swallowed and backed away from the wheel with palms raised in submission.

"He doesn't have the Sword on him Jack. I didn't see it," Angelica told him as she folded her arms across her chest, fear in the back of her voice.

"I know he had it on the_ Revenge_, I saw it with him," replied Jack.

"Perhaps he has hidden it?" Angelica said hopeful.

"I guarantee he has it hidden away somewhere and I doubt he alone knows where it has been hidden. You may want to watch your former Revenging crew luv. I fear we have two sides on this ship and I am not being mutinied again," Jack warned.

Angelica nodded, feeling the shift in the air on _Tristan_ as well.

The journey was slowly coming together, another piece added to the puzzle. Sword of Cortez, on the same ship: check. They were confident Barbossa was in possession of the Sword as were they confident Barbossa was going to lay low and wait to strike all those loyal to him and her.

With the Sword in his possession, Jack knew Barbossa felt like he had limitless power and he technically did and he had already proven he enjoyed the power. And for his own part, Jack did feel a pang of fear for the elder pirate so long as the Sword remained in his possession. The Sword was one of few weapons that could kill him.

_Heady tonic holding life and death in the palm of one's hand._

Those words were never spoken truer than they were then and that same feeling was returning to him. He glanced around his shoulder feeling vulnerable and quite expected Davy Jones to suddenly appear from the wood in attempt to enslave him in the Locker once more.

His shoulder and back stinging with memories, he bid Angelica a nod. "Mind the waves, stay the course, don't let Barbossa touch the wheel."

His feet rushed down the stairs and returned back to the safety of his cabin where there was one way out but, more importantly, one way in.

Torin perked up from his cushioned corner and Jack realized he had forgotten his dog's promised food. Sighing, he decided to scrounge around his protected cabin for scraps of food knowing there had to be something of satisfaction and proper means to feed his dog.

Just as the fluffy puppy felt himself sinking back asleep, Jack's cry of success woke him with a bark and flip, of his head. Displeased his master woke him again, the pup pouted as he set his jaw between his paws. But, when he was presented with lightly honeyed oats mixed with a bit of vegetable preserve from the freshly popped jar, all was forgiven.

A shaky breath escaped Jack's lips as he settled beside his dog on the cushions. What an exciting productive, day it had been. He and Angelica had a successful argument. _Queen Anne's Revenge_ most likely lay at the bottom of the ocean buried in a watery grave. Hector Barbossa was once again on the same sailing vessel as him and with the world's most deadly shiny weapon in his possession all while probably planning a mutiny. He and Angelica spent the better part of a few unknown hours removing bullets from each other. And to top the day's production, he felt warm liquid seeping through his tunic just below his right shoulder.

And to end the day he was dealing with the Kraken bite seeping its poison down his back probably from the poison in his pores having been opened during the unnecessary battle earlier.

That chest better have been worth all the pain he went through earlier and was currently feeling.

While Jack wrapped his shoulder with the thick black cloth and lay beside his dog preparing for the long, uncomfortable night to come, elsewhere on the ship he was correct about one of his presumptions.

Angelica sat in front of the chest she risked her life to return to her possession recalling just how precious the contents inside were. The rose that Jack had left in the bath for her to admire in Shipwreck Cove was added to the book of her pressed roses from their many meetings before.

* * *

><p><strong>A Note from TurtleHeart:<strong>

**hey guys! i'm back again after a long break. again, a thousand apologies! between my two jobs i get maybe two or three days off a month so as you can see it is a bit difficult for me to write and update and i'm trying to get my acting career started as well.  
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**but, here it is, a new addition at last!  
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**well, watcha thinking this time? how about Barbossa Teach? Jack's and Angelica's little memory of their first kiss? glad the two crews are back together? how about the fact that _Queen Anne's Revenge_ got her true fate?  
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**next up, our adventurers head down to Charleston, Carolina where we meet up with Pintel and Ragetti at their Kroken's Lair and Jack and Angelica fall for each other harder than they have yet.  
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**questions? comments? concerns? likes? dislikes? let me know!  
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**Happy Readings!  
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